Fractured fairy tale
by Halicarnassus
Summary: School may have ended but the Host Club boys refuse to go their separate ways or relinquish their claim on a certain commoner. Living together was their only solution. Society can go hang. But such a choice would come with a price.Kyoya knows that.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School Host Club is the property of Bisco Hatori.

NOTE: In this story, episodes 25 and 26 of the anime didn't happen.

CHAPTER ONE

Kyoya thought he was the first one home tonight which meant he had to do the dinner dishes. He started hatching a scheme to saddle someone else with the task when he noticed Haruhi's slippers were missing from their accustomed place by the door.

He smirked. He'll remind her during dinner in front of the others that she arrived home long before any of them. If they were still in high school, he would have also added onto her debt.

Washing plates had become a family tradition. It was the by-product of Haruhi's failed attempt to get them to do housework. She had somehow convinced six pampered princelings to live without a slew of servants waiting on them.

In his case, she appealed to the miser in him. She told Kyoya it was a waste of money to pay others for things they could just do themselves. Then she calculated in front of him just how much they would save.

But after a week of their disastrous efforts at housework, Haruhi decided that washing dishes was the only thing these rich bastards could do with the least amount of damage.

Broken glasses and plates were easily replaced. Not so the frayed nerves she got from the twins blowing up the oven and Tamaki turning everyone's clothing pink in the wash.

Now they have a cook, a maid and a driver. Once a week, the servants would take a day off and Haruhi would cook dinner. The twins came up with the solution on who got stuck with the dishes afterward.

But something struck Kyoya as odd. The house was too quiet. He went into the kitchen but there was no dinner simmering on the stove and more importantly, no Haruhi in sight.

He checked her room but found only her bag and the clothes she wore that morning.

"Haruhi? Are you home?"

Perhaps she went out to the store with one of the others? Even Haruhi was bound to get a craving now that she was seven months pregnant, he thought and headed for his room.

He tossed his briefcase on the bed, took off his coat and loosened his tie. He wanted a shower before dinner and went to the bathroom. But the light was already on.

An unconscious Haruhi lay sprawled on the bathroom floor. Kyoya didn't notice the pool of blood until he stepped in it. He could not stop himself from calling out her name in a voice he hardly recognized as his own.

Kyoya forced himself to remain calm. He needed to take control of the situation like he always does, like everyone expects him to.

He checked Haruhi and was relieved to see she was still alive. He called for an ambulance without sounding desperate and unlocked the front door for the paramedics. He cradled Haruhi in his arms while waiting for help to arrive. Her skin felt clammy to the touch.

The paramedics took Haruhi to the nearest emergency room which turned out to be the local general hospital. The sick, the injured and their families jammed the waiting room. No one paid attention to the tall bespectacled man in a blood-stained shirt who leaned against the wall.

It seemed to Kyoya that an eternity elapsed before a young doctor appeared asking for him. He listened impassively as the man explained that Haruhi bled so much she might lose the baby or even her life.

He thanked the doctor for the information and dismissed him politely. The man looked askance at Kyoya's unruffled demeanor before rushing back to help the others tending to Haruhi. He pitied the woman for having such a cold companion.

Kyoya noted the "no cell phones allowed" signs posted all over the emergency room and quickly walked outside. He called a number he thought he'd never have to again.

"Ohtori residence."

"I would like to talk to Ohtori-san."

"I'm sorry sir but the master doesn't take phone calls at night. You can try his office tomorrow."

"I'm afraid this can't wait. Tell him it's an emergency and Kyoya needs help."


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School Host Club is the property of Bisco Hatori

Chapter Two

The conversation with his father was short, tense and cost Kyoya several of the stocks he inherited from his grandmother. But he didn't have to wait long to see the results.

A sleek black car pulled into the hospital parking lot as a black helicopter carrying a lawyer and a medical team landed on the roof. The emergency room doctor was aghast and protested at the interference.

Kyoya reminded the doctor that his staff hasn't even determined what caused Haruhi to collapse and bleed so he was taking her to another facility. Then he gave the mirthless smile that never failed to intimidate allies and opponents alike.

The lawyer presented a release form to the cowed doctor who signed it hastily. The medical team stabilized Haruhi and loaded her into the chopper.

Kyoya got into the car and found a freshly ironed shirt next to the seat. He changed clothes as the car sped on its way to the Ohtori hospital but refused to discard the blue shirt stained with her blood. He folded it neatly and told the driver not to touch it.

As the doctors worked to save Haruhi and the baby, Kyoya notified the other former Host Club members who promised to be there soon. There was no one else to call since Ranka-san died in an accident a year after Haruhi graduated from Ouran.

Tamaki, surprisingly enough, wasn't hysterical for long. It was the older Hitachiin twin who lost it.

Hikaru snapped at Kyoya for not calling him sooner and demanded details of Haruhi's condition.

"She and the baby are still not out of danger. I'm waiting for the doctors to…"

"Why wasn't she taken to the city's best hospital in the first place? The doctors at that commoner hospital sound like idiots! Don't you care at all about her? You money-grubbing, heartless piece of …"

Kaoru winced at his twin who had found a convenient target for his anger. Hikaru's voice was loud enough to draw stares from the half-dressed models and harassed-looking stylists surrounding them. The younger Hitachiin grabbed the phone from his brother, told Kyoya to hang on and dragged Hikaru to their office. He closed the door and put the phone on speaker.

"Please continue Kyoya-senpai," Kaoru said softly.

"The ambulance rushed her to the closest medical facility which is why she ended up at that public hospital. I had her transferred to the Ohtori hospital where I assure you, the medical care and staff are the best that money can buy. And Hikaru, I really do not have the time or the patience to listen to your accusations."

From Kyoya's tone, the redhead knew he was treading on thin ice with the older man. He bit back an angry retort and curtly told the former Shadow King he and Kaoru will get there as quickly as they can.

Kaoru instructed one of their assistants to take over the fashion show, grabbed his brother by the elbow and steered him out of the place to a waiting limo. He told the driver to take them to the airport then turned his attention back to his twin who looked scared.

"Kyoya-senpai must have been desperate enough to call for help from the Ohtoris. Aside from occasional calls from his older sister, I don't think he's had any dealings with them since he was disinherited by his father."

"He's not the only one who gave up a lot to be with her."

"Mother still talks to us, Hikaru. And although he disapproves of our lifestyle, milord's father hasn't cut off ties with him. Neither have Honey-senpai's parents or Mori-senpai's father and brother. Kyoya-senpai only has Haruhi and us."

Hikaru's answer was to turn his back on his twin. Kaoru sighed. His brother still needed to grow up.

It's been nearly a decade since they left Ouran and chose this path, Kaoru thought. They established their own line of designer clothing and even created affordable fashion for the middle class. The latter was his idea and a birthday present to the only woman he allowed into their world.

She had looked puzzled when he announced that he was calling the clothing line "Refreshing" in her honor. He reminded her of the "refreshing battle" he and Hikaru won to get the sole room at the Karuizawa pensione she worked at one summer.

"Oh I see now. That's when you asked if I wanted to sleep in the same bed with you and Hikaru," she said.

"As I remember it, you refused and said there wouldn't be enough room," he said then couldn't resist teasing her. "You certainly changed your mind later."

"You have a bigger bed now," she said, merely stating a fact.

Tamaki, who overheard the exchange, wailed that he couldn't believe his pure, precious Haruhi thought like that. To annoy their milord more, the leering twins wrapped their arms around the slim woman.

Haruhi just turned her face toward Kaoru and thanked him for the birthday gift. He leaned in and kissed her while Hikaru nuzzled her neck.

Mori gave a short cough and Hunny reminded the twins that it was Takashi's day with Haruhi according to the schedule. Kyoya agreed while Tamaki called them lecherous doppelgangers. Kaoru reluctantly broke off the kiss.

Sharing her with the others was one of the conditions he had to meet to remain with the ex-Host Club members. And Kaoru didn't want this carriage ride to ever end.

He didn't even want to think of a life without Haruhi so he could understand Hikaru lashing out at Kyoya. But unlike his brother, he wouldn't take his anger and frustration out on someone convenient. Kaoru always had better control over his emotions.

"What will we do if she doesn't make it?" Hikaru suddenly asked.

Kaoru only looked at his other self. He didn't know how he could answer such a question.

It was the same question Tamaki asked himself as he ran out of his office.

Living with everyone after high school and long after the Host Club ended was something Tamaki never imagined. His inner mind theater featured fantasies of life with Haruhi, not with the rest of his friends.

He remembered being appalled when Kyoya suggested the arrangement which he immediately called indecent and disgusting. His best friend pointed out that their individual efforts to woo the girl were leading nowhere and were only causing arguments to break out among them.

His dog, Antoinette, happily ran past them and he sighed in agreement. She still hadn't grown back most of the fur the twins shaved off. All because Haruhi agreed to help him train Antoinette and they ended up going on a picnic twice.

Although his friends and family thought him a blithering idiot, Tamaki was far from stupid. He knew Kyoya wouldn't propose such a thing out of the blue.

"What brought this about Kyoya?"

"Haruhi has no reasons to stay here. Her father is dead, she could easily transfer colleges and she's not beholden to be with us anymore in order to pay off a debt."

Tamaki stared in horror at his friend. What Kyoya said was indeed true but his princess never talked to him about leaving.

Kyoya didn't want to alarm his friend further but Haruhi had mentioned Harvard to him over lunch. She admitted talking to an admissions official about the university's summer programs. She also asked Kyoya if her chances of getting into a law school would be better if she earned her undergraduate degree at the same university.

"She wants to fulfill her dream, Tamaki. With her brains, she could go to any school she wants. What makes you so sure …?"

But Tamaki was no longer listening to him. He called the others in a panic, yelling that Haruhi was abandoning them all. Kyoya was then prodded to unveil his proposal.

It took awhile for all of them to agree to the idea and even longer to convince Haruhi.

Tamaki's grandmother refused to name him the Suoh heir when the former Host Club members moved in together and scandalized high society. By then, Haruhi's gender was no longer a secret.

Since the Suoh matriarch never liked her grandson to begin with, her decision came as no surprise. Tamaki bounced back from this blow and now ran a thriving empire of his own; importing and exporting goods "the commoner needs." He still had his father, his friends and more importantly, Haruhi.

Whenever he played pieces that left listeners teary-eyed, she knew he was thinking of his missing mother. His fingers conveyed his longing and love for the woman who bore him.

She always sat next to Tamaki after he finished playing and listened as he happily talked to her about his mother. She'd heard all of the stories before but would never say so because she suspected he may not have the chance to make any more memories with his mother.

Living with six people was never boring. Even Haruhi could be unpredictable.

He was surprised when she handed all of them a packed lunch one morning. She'd never done that before. He hugged her and called her the most wonderful wife in the world.

"It's just leftovers from dinner, Tamaki. Food shouldn't go to waste."

But Tamaki was on a roll and rambled on and on about her loving him the best to pack him lunch. Mori held up his lunch to contradict that statement followed by Hunny, the twins and Kyoya.

He got depressed and hunkered down in one corner of the kitchen. While the rest left, Haruhi walked over to the still sulking Tamaki and whispered in his ear that his packed lunch was different. He stood up suddenly, gave her a big kiss then ran out of the house.

He smiled when he saw she'd sprinkled seasoned ground up codfish into the shape of a heart on top of the rice.

Haruhi was hardly a romantic. She just heard enough about Tamaki's newlywed fantasy from the others to know what to put in his lunch. Besides, it wasn't that hard to do and seemed to make him happy. She figured Tamaki already had enough soap opera elements in his life. He just didn't let them affect him.

But as Tamaki sped toward the hospital, he worried about a future without seeing her every day, hearing her exasperated sighs and watching her smile. How could they go on without Haruhi?


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School is the property of Bisco Hatori

(Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I also fixed the settings so I can receive anonymous reviews now. I apologize in advance for Kyoya being OOC and for the bad lime.)

Chapter 3

Shortly after Tamaki lost his inheritance, Kyoya came home subdued and sporting a cut lip. He greeted none of them and locked himself in his room. They found out why when his sister, Fuyumi, called crying and looking for him.

Yoshio Ohtori had summoned Kyoya to the family mansion and wasted no time in telling him that his oldest brother was now the official heir.

Kyoya managed to hide his disappointment as he mumbled a congratulation to a sibling he well knew didn't deserve it.

"As for you," Yoshio said and glared at his youngest son. "How dare you disgrace our family? I did not expect this kind of behavior from any of my children least of all you."

He knew the source of his father's displeasure. He just didn't expect judgment to come this soon.

Yoshio could not understand how his brilliant son – the one who should have succeeded him – became his biggest disappointment. He heard the boy was close to his friends but to live together and share the same woman was beyond the norm.

Kyoya saw a file on his father's desk and his right hand curled into a fist.

"Father, did you have Haruhi investigated?"

"Yes I did. I have no objections to the young lady in question. She's highly intelligent, hardworking and seems well on her way to becoming a lawyer. Her only real drawback, her cross-dressing father, is fortunately dead."

"Ranka-san doesn't deserve that from you."

Yoshio was shocked. His youngest son had never talked back to him before. None of his children did. When the blow came, Kyoya staggered but remained standing.

"Your decision to live in this disgraceful situation is the problem. The Ohtori family cannot be seen as supporting a lifestyle our allies and the public find repugnant. It would lead to a loss in profit and prestige, not to mention give our enemies a chance to ruin us," Yoshio said.

He thought he knew his third son well. The boy who looked up to him and did everything he asked without question had grown into the stranger standing before him.

"Leave this house and never come back. You are no longer my son."

Kyoya knew this day would come, had thought himself prepared for it. Why else would he have squirreled away money in various bank accounts? It was also the reason he started a business while fresh out of high school when he concluded that living together was the only way they could keep their Host Club family.

However, the inevitable break with the Ohtoris still came as a blow to him.

Night came and Kyoya refused to come out of his room. He turned a deaf ear to Tamaki's pleas to "unburden his heavy heart" and ignored the rest of his housemates who came to his door. Then he heard the unmistakable sound of a key turning in the lock.

"I don't want to see anyone so stay out. Don't make me repeat myself."

"I brought you dinner. Since you wouldn't unlock the door I used Tamaki's duplicate key," Haruhi said.

Kyoya's left eye twitched. Memo to self, he thought. Search Tamaki's room for all keys and melt them all. Then shove that idiotic blond out of a second-story window.

Haruhi placed the dinner tray on his nightstand and started to walk away.

"Leaving so soon?"

"Didn't you want to be alone?"

She didn't mean to sound uncaring. She was actually at a loss on how to help him.

Haruhi was used to Kyoya pulling something out of his sleeve to get them out of any predicament. However, the man before her looked lost and uncertain. She had never seen him like this.

"Do you want me to stay?" she asked.

He said nothing just gazed at her. She was the reason he lost his place in the Ohtori clan. And she didn't even belong solely to him.

Polyandry. The word left a sour taste in his mouth right now. One wife shared by several husbands. He doubted if she saw herself as belonging to anyone. She was Haruhi after all – smart, practical and above all else, independent.

It had taken them three years to wear her down with their argument that this was the only way all of them would be happy. They told her none of them cared about the consequences. By going this route, she would not have to choose one over the others. And didn't she love them anyway? She eventually gave in.

Now Kyoya wondered if he had done the right thing. While he wasn't destitute by any means, he lost all the rights and privileges associated with the Ohtori name. His family cast him adrift for disgracing them; society labeled him a pariah.

"So this is what it feels like to be insignificant. Overcoming this might prove to be more of a challenge than becoming the Ohtori heir," he said in a calm tone that belied the uncertainty he felt.

Haruhi sat down next to him on the bed.

"How many nobodies live in a big house, run their own business and know influential people?" she asked, turning her big brown eyes his way. "You would never settle for being insignificant. It's not in your nature, Kyoya."

"That's an interesting way to see it."

He took off his glasses and placed it next to the dinner tray. He smiled at her and suddenly pushed her down on the bed. Haruhi found herself lying on her back looking up at him.

An image of a younger Kyoya looming above her flashed through her head.

When the Host Club went to the beach, some punks harassing their customers pushed Haruhi into the sea. Tamaki was upset that she confronted the ruffians alone and did not ask for help. Kyoya wanted to teach her a lesson about the difference between the sexes and they ended up lying on his bed.

Haruhi was certain Kyoya wouldn't sleep with her because he would gain nothing from the encounter. She was wrong but he didn't correct her and even gave Tamaki a chance to earn brownie points. He didn't want her to know how much she intrigued him.

Now, he hid nothing from her. Seeing the desperate need for her in his eyes, she made the first move and caressed his cheek. He turned his head, kissed her palm and leaned down to claim her lips.

His breathing grew ragged as he kissed his way down her body; impatiently removing clothing that got in his way. She buried her fingers in his hair and moaned softly.

It was only with her that Kyoya let himself go. Behind closed doors, he was free to show he wanted her as much as, if not more than, Tamaki, Mori, Hunny or the twins. There were times when he would nip her skin, leaving marks he wanted the others to see. But they said nothing, not wishing to break the tenuous truce that existed among them.

He knew the schedule said it wasn't his turn but for once, he wasn't going to follow the rules. Too bad Tamaki, he thought. She was his tonight.

He pulled her tight against him and set a pace her hips soon followed. She gripped his shoulders and gasped out his name.

Wondering why Haruhi hadn't returned to the kitchen with the remains of Kyoya's dinner, Tamaki decided to follow her to the ex-Shadow King's lair. The door was unlocked but the sounds within stopped him in his tracks.

The former Host King stifled the jealousy he felt and tiptoed back to the kitchen.

"Mother" really shouldn't be in charge of drawing up their, ahem, schedule if he wasn't going to follow it, Tamaki thought. But he said nothing to the rest, well aware of the price Kyoya paid to remain with them.


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School is the property of Bisco Hatori

Chapter Four

Ohtori Hospital lay in the heart of the city, a modern edifice of steel, concrete and glass surrounded by landscaping that required two teams of gardeners to maintain. Paintings that once hung in modern galleries adorn its walls while expensive but comfortable furniture fill its offices and rooms. A subsidiary of the Ohtori Corporation supplied the hospital with top of the line equipment.

Those who could afford it sought to have their ills, whether real or imagined, treated here.

In a private room in the intensive care unit lay a special patient. Haruhi Fujioka. 28. Lawyer by profession. Legal wife to none now mother of one.

The hospital staff knew she was more than that and spread the news from floor to floor via whispers, nudges and knowing winks. She disappointed them however. The woman who had captured the attention of six men from prestigious families looked nothing like a movie star. They wondered what drew these men to her and who the baby's father might be.

Kyoya closed his ears to the whispers and pretended not to see the looks the employees exchanged. He knew this kind of behavior followed them everywhere especially in places where the rich congregated. He had no choice but to bring her here. The Ohtori Hospital prided itself on having the best doctors in the country.

He had already called and fired her personal physician an hour ago but wanted so badly to banish the man from the country. Lacking that power now, he planned how to destroy the man's practice.

"Ohtori-san?"

Kyoya saw a gray-haired man wearing a hospital scrub gown walking toward him. He met the man halfway.

"She's in the intensive care unit and will be there for awhile. We gave her a blood transfusion and performed a Caesarian section to deliver the baby who was in distress."

"And the child?"

"It's a miracle he survived. He is in the neonatal ICU right now. Your wife…uh…I mean Fujioka-san suffered what we call a placental abruption."

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the term."

"It's a condition where the placenta separates from the uterus. In her case, half of the placenta detached from the uterine wall, which led to the bleeding. She's lucky she was discovered in time. If she had lost more blood, she would have gone into shock."

"May I see them?"

"Not right now. I must ask you some questions and please be frank with me. There are certain factors that put a woman more at risk in getting this condition."

Kyoya found some of the questions insulting but reminded himself that the doctor didn't know Haruhi's medical history and was just doing his job.

"Let me assure you that Haruhi does not suffer from high blood pressure or a blood-clotting disorder. This is her first pregnancy, which until today was uneventful," he said then gave the doctor a sharp look.

"She isn't an alcoholic, a smoker or a drug addict. Much of what I've said should be in her medical file, which you can get from the man who until an hour ago was her primary physician. And no, she hasn't been in a car accident nor was she beaten by _anyone_."

Aware of the consequences that resulted from incurring the wrath of the wealthy, the doctor tried to placate Kyoya by asking for the name and number of Haruhi's former doctor. Then he beat a hasty retreat.

A smiling hospital vice president next appeared and ushered Kyoya to a waiting room complete with two couches and comfortable-looking armchairs. He told Kyoya the room had been set aside for Fujioka-san's family and friends then left.

Still wearing karate robes, Mori and Hunny were the first to arrive. They came straight from the dojo and didn't bother to change in their haste. The taller man wore a worried expression as he ran into the room followed by his cousin.

"Is Haru-chan alive? What about the baby?" Hunny said and gripped Kyoya by the arm, making him wince.

Hunny quickly let go with an apology. He sometimes forgot his own strength. Before Kyoya could answer him, Tamaki and the Hitachiins rushed into the room.

Hikaru demanded to see Haruhi now while Tamaki peppered Kyoya with questions about her and the child. Mori's deep voice cut through their babbling.

"Let him speak."

They shut up in surprise. Mori rarely gave orders. The only time they could remember him doing so was when Hunny got a cavity and he forbid sweets.

Kyoya gave a brief nod of thanks to the older man then repeated what the doctor told him. An overjoyed Tamaki suddenly hugged Kyoya who tried without success to pry him off. Hunny sobbed in relief while Mori patted his shoulder. Kaoru took his brother's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"We're going to see her and the baby now," Hikaru said as Kaoru nodded. It wasn't a request.

"We all care about Haru-chan so we should all get to visit her and the baby, don't you think?" Hunny asked sweetly.

"Hunny-senpai's right. Why should you two get to see my Haruhi first?" Tamaki said, still hanging onto his now annoyed best friend.

"But she's not yours milord," Kaoru said in a singsong voice. "She belongs to all of us."

For the second time that night, Mori brought the conversation to a halt.

"Haruhi doesn't belong to anyone," he said as he sat down on one of the couches. His cousin joined him.

"That's right. I think Haru-chan stays with us for her own reasons not because we want her to."

Of course, they all suspected that but this was the first time one of them actually voiced the thought aloud. Tamaki ran up to Hunny, making shushing gestures. He reminded him that some things are better left unsaid.

Freed from Tamaki, Kyoya slipped out of the room and went in search of the doctor and the nurse in charge of the intensive care unit.

He found out that the ICU only allowed two visitors at a time and they could only stay for five minutes. The neonatal ICU limited visitors to parents but they could stay longer.

When he returned, the others had settled the question on who gets to see Haruhi first by drawing straws or in this case, slips of paper. They had used the same method to create the schedule. Although hardly scientific, it certainly spared Kyoya the headache he got from listening to everybody else arguing or pleading their case.

But he was annoyed they allowed Tamaki to draw for him. Hunny won followed by Mori, the twins, Kyoya and finally Tamaki. They decided to go in pairs when told of the two-visitor rule.

Mori thought Haruhi looked small and frail in that hospital bed with tubes coming out of her arms. He felt responsible for her ending up this way although none of them knew who the father was. He was too shy to kiss her in front of other people even his cousin who knows him so well. He settled for briefly touching her cheek.

Hunny took one look at Haruhi and burst into tears. He couldn't help it. His Haru-chan just looked so ill and helpless. He wished he brought Usa-chan to keep her company. All too soon, their time was up and the twins took their place.

"Haruhi, what would you do without us? Your hair is a mess and that hospital gown is definitely not your color," Kaoru said as he brushed the unconscious girl's hair. "Don't you think so, Hikaru?"

Hikaru who was clutching Haruhi's right hand tightly ignored the question.

"We never thought there would be anyone who could tell us apart, neh Kaoru? Then we met her."

The hand holding Haruhi's trembled slightly. Kaoru noticed, stopped brushing and met his brother's troubled eyes across the hospital bed.

"Don't worry. She's still with us."

Tamaki came barging in with roses because he wanted to sprinkle petals all over the bed and room. He only backed off from the idea when Kyoya pointed out that Haruhi would not appreciate waking up covered in petals and would probably feel obligated to clean up the flowery mess.

"You have no sense of romance," Tamaki said. "Most women would find my idea very romantic."

"This is Haruhi we're talking about. Why don't you just put the roses in a vase and leave it on that table."

Kyoya adjusted the sheet around Haruhi while Tamaki charmed one of the nurses to fetch him a vase for the roses.

Despite what they were told earlier, their time with the baby was equally short. They didn't want to go home so they ate at the hospital cafeteria and took turns visiting Haruhi. The nurses later let them stay longer either out of sympathy or they just got tired of buzzing the six men into the unit every five minutes.

Mori fought the urge to sleep as he sat next to Haruhi's bed. He shook himself awake and kept his eyes trained on her face. He left Hunny sleeping in the waiting room with the others. They were all worn out from worrying.

At 4 o'clock in the morning, the only sounds he could hear were Haruhi's breathing, the beeps of the machines in the ICU and the nurses checking their charges.

Haruhi's eyes slowly opened then widened in shock. Mori wore the smile the twins once called "refreshing."

"How are you feeling? Do you need anything? The baby is sleeping right now. He's such a wee little thing and just as cute as you," he said and rumpled her hair affectionately, a habit he acquired from their old Host Club days.

"I have to see the baby."

She tried to sit up but grimaced in pain. He told her not to push herself so soon. He made her lie down and smiled at her again.

She never did figure out why he was called the wild type. When the club members were co-splaying samurai, she thought he fit the role best. He was stoic, strong, a martial arts expert and certainly loyal and dedicated to Hunny. She liked everything about him even this peculiar side of him.

He tucked the sheet around her and suddenly kissed her. She wasn't surprised.

"You're very sleepy aren't you Mori? Why don't you take a nap?"

"Just for a little while. One hour."

He closed his eyes and was out like a light. She knew he wouldn't remember any of this when he woke up. Mori would only smile readily, become chatty and overly affectionate when he was sleepy. A nap always returned him back to normal.

She was surprised to wake up to that smile. But it felt kind of nice.

With Mori out for the count, she was left with unanswered questions and tried to remember as much as she could about what happened. She came home early from work that night and realized she would both be cook and dishwasher. She washed her face and was thinking of what to make for dinner when the pain hit her.

The pain didn't let up and increased in intensity. She felt something warm trickling down her leg and saw blood. She thought of the baby and tried to get to a phone but her legs buckled under her. Her vision swam and everything went black.

The next thing she knew she was in a hospital bed. When a nurse came in half an hour later, Haruhi asked her not to wake Mori up and to give him a blanket.

"When can I see my baby?"

"You can ask the doctor when you see him later."

She didn't know who the father was. They told her it didn't matter anyway since they would all raise the child. She didn't believe them at first until she saw how excited they all were even Kyoya. The nursery was their project.

While the twins designed the nursery, Kyoya spared no expense and made sure everything they bought was the best. The twins ejected Tamaki from the room after he made a mess putting up the wallpaper. Mori and Hunny carried in the furniture.

Tamaki returned with his teddy bear and announced that he was giving Beary to "their beautiful blessing" so that the baby would know daddy was always near.

Kaoru immediately made retching sounds while Hikaru asked Tamaki what TV show he stole that cornball line from. Hunny offered to give Usa-chan too. Mori asked if he really wanted to do that.

"It's not fair for Tama-chan to be the only one who gives something he treasures to the baby. I'm the baby's daddy too."

"Hunny-senpai is right. Milord is being unfair."

"Unfair? Me? How can that be?" Tamaki said and ran to Kyoya.

"Mother! Am I unfair? Don't I always think of this family?"

Kyoya sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Are you still calling me that after all these years?" he asked then scrutinized Tamaki's much-loved toy. "When was the last time you had Beary cleaned? I'm afraid he's too dirty to be given to the baby. He could be harboring germs."

A dejected Tamaki slunk off into a corner. The twins exchanged a grin as Kyoya consulted a list of items the nursery still needed. Haruhi thought she saw him smirk.

She sighed and went over to Tamaki's current Corner of Woe. She plucked Beary from his fingers.

"Thank you Tamaki. I'm sure the baby would love Beary once he's washed," she said and kissed him.

Tamaki blushed. Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her but Haruhi calmly walked out with the stuffed toy clutched to her chest.

But Beary wouldn't have the nursery all to himself for long. The next day, Usa-chan and four new stuffed animals joined the teddy bear. Haruhi didn't say anything but kissed Hunny, Mori, Hikaru, Kaoru and Kyoya before dinner. In the background, Tamaki muttered something about jerks and copycats.

She smiled at the memory and wondered how long before her son would see Beary and the others.


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School is the property of Bisco Hatori

Hunny woke up grouchy as usual. He glared about him, scaring Tamaki, Kaoru and Hikaru then slowly got off the couch. Kyoya slept on. Even the beast that was Hunny didn't dare disturb the low blood pressure evil lord.

Tamaki had called the servants earlier and gingerly presented Hunny with a fresh set of clothes and toiletries. The smaller man snarled, snatched the items from him and stomped off in the direction of the toilets. They were used to seeing Hunny like this in the mornings.

After a breakfast of pancakes with lots of syrup and two slices of strawberry cream cake, Hunny was back to his usual cheery self.

The former loli-shota host retained many of the features that attracted admirers in high school. Hunny remained a small man compared to the rest of his friends. He sported the same hairdo, same impish brown eyes and could flash that cute smile in an instant complete with the pink flowers. He could also demolish an entire cake in 10 minutes flat.

But Hunny had long ago stopped carrying Usa-chan everywhere with him. Before he gave the stuffed bunny to the baby, Usa-chan mainly resided in his room.

Mori met them in the cafeteria. He nodded by way of a greeting, picked a traditional Japanese breakfast and ate quietly.

"Takashi, is Haru-chan awake?"

Not remembering what happened before his nap, Mori shook his head.

"Where did you sleep Mori-senpai? Don't tell me you were with Haruhi all this time," Hikaru said.

Seeing Hunny's face, Mori sought to reassure his cousin.

"Mitsukuni, you fell asleep on the couch before it was our turn to visit. It's my fault I didn't wake you."

"It's OK Takashi. You protected her for us."

Mori visibly relaxed. Haruhi could easily become a sore topic with his cousin and had figured prominently in one of their rare disputes. It happened while they were still in high school.

Hunny spotted Mori and Haruhi at his favorite bakery eating the strawberry cake he regularly ordered and often wished he could share with her alone. He told Takashi this wish before and grew upset that it wasn't him sitting across from Haruhi.

The next day at the dojo, he threw the taller man clear across the room and demolished a wall with one kick.

"Did you like eating cake with Haru-chan? If you wanted to take her out, why don't you come up with something original!" he yelled.

Mori picked himself up and walked out. There was no sense giving the strawberry cake to his cousin now. He must have seen him and Haruhi together and assumed the worst. Mori had run into the girl on his way to buy the cake for his cousin. When she found out what his errand was, she asked to see the bakery and he let her tag along.

He told her Hunny considered the cake the best in the city and bought her a slice to prove it. It was only when Hunny threw him that he remembered the wish. He felt terrible for stealing what could have been his cousin's moment with the natural host. Mori also loved Haruhi but he would step back in favor of Hunny if asked.

Hunny shunned Mori for days, which worried the rest of the club and their customers. To punish himself, the taciturn man didn't explain what really happened. It was only when Haruhi casually mentioned running into Mori who let her tag along to the bakery that Hunny realized he'd jumped to conclusions. He tearfully apologized to his cousin.

They never spoke of it again. They knew Haruhi would think they both overreacted.

Mori would sooner forget the incident. He nodded when Hunny eagerly asked if they were all ready to see Haruhi and the baby.

"Of course Hunny-senpai. You lead the way," Tamaki said. "Let's bring her some roses too."

"Cake! Let's bring cake with lots of strawberries on it, Takashi."

"…"

They knew better than to wake Kyoya at this time of the morning and let him be. For one brief moment, Hikaru and Kaoru thought about sprinkling rose petals on the sleeping man then shuddered at the thought of what Kyoya would do to them in return. They tiptoed out of the waiting room.

Haruhi blinked sleepily at the circle of familiar faces surrounding her. Tamaki had used his trademark smile to get all of them inside her room. She looked for Kyoya then asked what time it was.

"Too early for him to be up," Hikaru said and shrugged. "How are you?"

She smiled weakly and asked to see the baby. Tamaki dispatched Mori who returned dragging an enraged doctor by the arm. Haruhi apologized to the doctor and repeated her request.

When the physician hesitated, Hunny cried how unfair it was that the hospital was keeping mother and son apart. Tamaki and the twins tearfully agreed with Hunny. Haruhi could feel a headache coming on.

In the end, they put her in a wheelchair and carried the metal stands with her drip bags. She gazed at her tiny son lying in the incubator and wondered when she could bring him home.

Haruhi moved out of the intensive care unit after four days and into a private room on the second floor. The six men settled into a routine of work-hospital-home.

Kyoya dropped his father's name and the hospital staff waived the restrictions on visiting hours for them. They could visit Haruhi and the baby whenever they wanted.

Yet Kyoya dragged himself out of bed early one morning to beat the others to the hospital. He couldn't understand why he was doing this except that he felt the need to do so.

He checked the latest addition to their family and tried to discern whose features the child inherited but failed. When the baby yawned, he felt an urge to protect this tiny pink being from any harm. Tiny pink being? He couldn't believe he just thought that. A ghost of a smile flitted across his face. He'd been around Tamaki too long.

Haruhi was snoozing when he entered the room so he sat next to her bed and waited. He wasn't used to being up this early and fell asleep again. He only woke up to someone repeatedly poking him in the ribs and vowed to tear that person apart.

"Kyo-chan, you're finally awake. Have you seen the baby today? Doesn't he look like me?" Hunny said and laughed.

Kyoya merely gave his senior a sour look. While he wanted to do more than look, he knew Hunny could easily tear him apart then eat cake afterward.

"I'm sorry to say this Hunny-senpai but the darling child is the mirror image of me. He is perfect and who else here is an example of perfection?" Tamaki said and pointed to himself with a flourish.

From out of nowhere came a flurry of rose petals. They all blinked.

"Milord, you're going to make Haruhi lose her breakfast. And can you move a little to the right? You're blocking the sunlight," Hikaru said as he and Kaoru fussed over Haruhi.

They put flowered clips in her hair, draped her in a frilly pink morning wrap and were now trying to apply makeup to her face. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. Every now and then, their hands would linger just a little too long as if to make sure she was still here.

"Twin spawns of the devil! Stop pawing my beloved when she barely survived the Grim Reaper. Begone with you both!" Tamaki shouted and lunged at the Hitachiins.

He tried to pull them away but they resisted him. At a sign from Kyoya, Mori strode over to the struggling trio and dragged them out of the room. Haruhi smiled gratefully at the tall silent man who smiled back. Hunny kissed her and bounded out of the room promising to return with cake.

Kyoya also prepared to leave but stopped when she grabbed his sleeve.

"Do you need me to call the nurse? Are you in pain?"

"I'd like to see my son," she said.

"I don't think you're allowed to move about that much."

"Kyoya, I want to see the baby," she said firmly. He knew there was no budging her when she used that tone.

"Of course."

Followed by the others, he wheeled her to where the child slept and watched as she carefully caressed the small form. When he saw her wince in pain, he insisted on taking her back to her room. He ignored their offers to tuck her in and shooed everyone out.

As he helped the nurse put her to bed, he realized how thin she'd become. He leaned in to inspect what else he missed. He was startled when she brushed back the bangs from his face and lightly traced his features with her fingers. The gesture was so unlike her.

"He really looks like you," she said and went to sleep again.

Kyoya smiled and when the nurse left, kissed Haruhi on the forehead. She gave him a son.

It galled him to ask his father for help but he did it for her sake. He would do anything to keep Haruhi with him even if it meant sharing her with five other men. He never told her he loved her. There was no need to. She knew already.


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School is the property of Bisco Hatori

Chapter 6

The original members of the Host Club settled down in a quiet secluded neighborhood where most of the residents earned six-figure incomes. The house they picked didn't look like the confection that was Suoh Mansion No. 2 or the severe modernity that was the Ohtori residence.

It was a large white house covered by flowering vines. One could easily imagine children waving from its windows or running out of its oak doors. A traditional Japanese garden took up most of the backyard. Roses, topiary and a labyrinth shared space on the left side of the property.

The house exuded warmth and was usually filled with the voices of the seven adults, one baby and one dog who called it home. But on a Monday morning, most of the inhabitants were at work.

The only exception was a short man with a boyish face who pushed a baby carriage around the grounds. A big dog with a ribbon around its neck and a nanny followed closely behind.

Tamaki's dog, Antoinette, was old now but she still hadn't lost her exuberance nor had her master learned how to control her. Antoinette ran around Hunny then tried to stick her face in the carriage but the nanny pulled her away.

Startled, the baby cried.

"Did Antoinette scare you, Yuji? She didn't mean it. Daddy's here so don't be scared now," Hunny said and picked up the infant.

He made soothing sounds that seemed to work. Yuji gurgled happily and waved his chubby little fists. Hunny promised to teach the baby karate, judo and the Haninozuka method when he was older.

The nanny reminded Hunny it was nearly 11 o'clock now. He kissed Yuji goodbye and handed him over to the nanny.

Hunny liked Mondays for one reason. It was his day with Haru-chan alone.

On Monday mornings, he would see Takashi off to work then spend time with Yuji. At noon, he would meet Haruhi for lunch at a restaurant or in a park. He'd pick her up at the law firm after work and sometimes they would check out the pastry shops in the area. While she did not like sweets, she did not mind accompanying him on these forays because it was a part of who he was.

He loved her more than the baby, cakes, Usa-chan and his friends. She knows that now but for a long time, she didn't realize what he felt for her. But he didn't regret the years spent waiting or the heartbreak he went through to earn the right to hold her one night a week.

After he and Takashi graduated from Ouran, they still found excuses to hang around a certain host. Hunny knew his cousin and his friends had fallen for Haruhi long before they admitted it to themselves. He didn't include himself of course.

But, he was finding it hard to just watch as the Hitachiins twined themselves around her like cats, as Tamaki pretended fatherly concern to get close to her and as Kyoya used her debt as an excuse to talk to her alone. Hunny even envied Mori whenever he rescued Haruhi from Tamaki's bear hugs.

He threw a party for her at his house when she graduated from high school and Mori bribed her with ootoro so she would come. She arrived in Kyoya's limousine wearing a white gown the twins designed for her with the Shadow King and her father in tow. Tamaki tried to kiss her hand but Ranka-san smacked him upside the head. Hunny thought Tamaki deserved that and realized how hard he'd fallen for Haruhi.

They flirted with her, plied her plate full and kept other men from dancing with her. As he spun her around the dance floor, he was thankful he stood an inch taller than she did now.

"Haru-chan, you're so cute. You're the prettiest girl here," he said.

He spotted Hikaru walking toward them and steered her in the other direction.

"Hunny-senpai!" Hikaru said.

"Did somebody just call you?" Haruhi asked him. He smiled and shook his head.

When the music stopped, he dragged her along with him to the garden. He told to close her eyes and hold out her hand. He placed his graduation gift on her palm.

"You can look now, Haru-chan. I hope you like it."

When Haruhi opened the velvet box and pulled out a gold necklace with a heart-shaped ruby pendant, she looked puzzled. He knew her birthstone was an amethyst but he was sending a message with his gift. Knowing how dense she could be on these matters, he started to tell her how he felt when Tamaki hollering her name interrupted him.

The blond quickly headed their way followed closely by the others. Kyoya saw the necklace and gave Hunny a shrewd look. A ruby symbolized passionate love.

But Haruhi remained blind to the signals they were all sending her. He resigned himself to being the cute friend.

Despite Ranka-san's wailings, Haruhi moved out of their apartment to a place close to Tokyo University. Hikaru and Kaoru tried and failed to convince her to move in with them. They resorted to dropping by her apartment every week. When the rest of the ex-club members found out, they also took to visiting her explaining that they just happened to be in the neighborhood at the time. When they got on her nerves, she told them to get lost.

Hunny made a point to show up always with strawberry cake.

He was training in the dojo with his cousin when Kyoya relayed the news that a hit-and-run driver killed Ranka-san. When they arrived at the apartment, Kyoya was outside talking to the police. Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru looked very concerned as Haruhi calmly offered them rice crackers. She greeted him and Takashi politely and asked if they wanted tea. She apologized to him for not having any cake in the house.

Kaoru whispered in his ear that Haruhi had been acting like this since they showed up. She didn't call any of them. Kyoya told them about the accident. The police found Kyoya's phone number in Ranka-san's purse and called him.

"Haru-chan, how is Ranka-san?"

She dropped the empty teakettle she was holding.

"They told me he's at the hospital. I was just on my way there when you arrived," she replied in the same polite tone. "I guess the tea would have to wait."

He picked up the teakettle, put it on the stove then took her by the hand.

"Let's all visit Ranka-san."

At the city morgue, they refused to leave her side while she identified the body. She clutched Hunny's hand but remained dry-eyed and silent. Kyoya offered to make the funeral arrangements after the coroner conducted the autopsy and released the body. She just nodded and kept her eyes on her father's still form.

She only broke her silence when they returned to the apartment.

"I'm sorry I couldn't offer you any tea. Good night."

Hunny suddenly hugged her.

"You can cry now Haru-chan. We're the only ones here."

She broke down and clung to him. Hikaru and Kaoru went to her room and packed a bag with some of her clothes. Tamaki ordered dinner and somehow made tea. Kyoya notified the university that Haruhi was taking a leave of absence because of a death in the family.

Hunny only released her when her sobbing subsided. Mori gave Haruhi his handkerchief and gently steered her to a chair. Tamaki handed her a cup of tea and asked if there was any one else he needed to notify about Ranka-san.

After dinner, the Hitachiins announced that Haruhi was staying with them and took her away. Much to their annoyance, the rest of the ex-club members appeared on their doorstep the next morning with luggage in hand.

Hunny was just about to nod off that night when someone knocked on his door. It was Haruhi in a shirt and sweatpants looking embarrassed. She mumbled that she couldn't sleep by herself. Hunny knew why she came to him and it hurt. He was the safe choice, the perpetual friend. But he shoved his feelings deep down and welcomed her in. She needed him now.

He sensed she didn't want to discuss her father or the accident so he talked about his plan to run his own dojo with Takashi after college, his favorite cakes and the Ouran girls who still write to him. When she remained silent next to him, he told her good night and closed his eyes. He had counted to eight before he heard her crying softly.

He held her as she wept into his pajama top. He let her cry until she was spent then tucked the blankets around her.

"Haru-chan, I'll always be here for you."

"Thank you Hunny-senpai. You're a good friend."

"Friends forever," he said in a cheerful voice as his heart broke.

He suspected he would be alone when he woke up. But she was still there in the morning lying next to him. And after that night, Haruhi looked at him with different eyes.

Like Tamaki, he was initially shocked at Kyoya's proposal. Even when they all agreed this was the only way, he didn't think they had any chance of convincing Haruhi. He was surprised when she finally said yes and often wondered at her reasons.

It took awhile but they adapted to each other's habits. They were happy in their own way but they knew how the rest of society viewed them. The tabloids had a field day in the beginning. Everywhere they went, the whispers were sure to follow along with the disgusted looks. They shielded Haruhi as best as they could and cut off anyone in their social circle who dare insult her.

Hunny relinquished his position as the next head of the Haninozuka family. Someone living a carnal lifestyle, as his younger brother and successor rudely stated, could not lead a family that aims for selflessness.

He could have fought to keep his inheritance but he chose not to.

He didn't care that Chika-chan hated him. But when his brother blamed Haruhi and his friends for degrading him then proceeded to insult them, Hunny beat Chika-chan senseless.

He already sent his father to the hospital after he announced that he was going to live with Haruhi and the others.

"We're going to settle this with a fight, Mitsukuni. Beat me and you are free to do what you want."

The fight lasted 10 minutes and left his father a twitching heap on the floor. No one stopped him and Takashi as they walked out of his father's dojo for the last time.

They set up their own dojo, which was an instant success. They also served as consultants to security firms and armies around the world, which cut into the Haninozuka business. If Chika-chan minded, he wisely held his tongue this time.

He thought Tamaki's words still rang true after all these years: "Having the courage to be able to admit what you love, enjoying what you love, and being true to yourself, isn't that what it also means to be strong?"

Hunny loved cute things, sweets and most of all, Haruhi. He regretted nothing. He chose this path and was happy. He looked at the woman curled up next to him.

"Haru-chan, I love you," he said and snuggled closer.

Haruhi smiled in her sleep as the ruby pendant at her throat glowed with its inner fire.


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School Host Club is the property of Bisco Hatori

Author's note: Many, many thanks for the reviews, guys! I present the next two chapters in this twisted saga. Enjoy!

Chapter 7

Sunlight streamed through the windows in Tamaki's room bathing the lone figure lying in bed in a soft golden glow. As if on cue, Tamaki burst into the room extolling the beauty of another day and wishing Haruhi a good morning.

She stirred and groaned.

"This man really wakes up too early," she thought.

"It's time to get up Haruhi. The day awaits!"

"Tamaki you're too noisy," she mumbled and managed to get out of bed somehow.

A naked Haruhi yawned and scratched her head. Tamaki blushed and suddenly wrapped the bed sheet around her like a makeshift toga.

"Haruhi! Cover yourself! There is a baby in the house."

She looked at him blankly. What had he not seen before? The baby probably was still sleeping in his own room.

"Really Tamaki. How can Yuji see me from the nursery?"

"How can you act so calmly when you're walking around the house naked? And our son is in the house! Those lecherous doppelgangers have been a bad influence on you."

She rolled her eyes at him.

"I wasn't walking around the house. Just in your room. And you weren't complaining last night."

She picked her pajamas off the floor and waved them in his direction. He smiled sheepishly.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I present evidence of Mr. Suoh's misdeeds. Exhibit A – rumpled pajamas tossed onto the floor of said defendant's room. Exhibit B – a pair of underwear that landed on top of a lampshade after defendant removed them from the plaintiff. Plaintiff will also testify how Mr. Suoh used ootoro and wine to lure her into his trap."

"But Haruhi.."

"I ask you, ladies and gentlemen, are these not the actions of a guilty man?"

Tamaki flashed the smile that made many a woman swoon. She ignored him. He used his only weapon left and looked at her with his puppy dog eyes. Haruhi stopped making an opening statement to an imaginary jury and told herself she was now immune to those eyes. She just couldn't dawdle any longer. A pile of work waited for her at the office.

She removed the sheet around her, donned her pajamas and breezed out of Tamaki's room as he blew kisses at her. Back in her own room, she saw the twins had laid out her outfit for the day on the bed. Hikaru and Kaoru insisted on picking out her wardrobe arguing that she could care less if she wore a potato sack to work.

In half an hour, she had showered, dressed and left the house clutching a piece of toast Hikaru insisted she at least eat and a note from Kyoya reminding her of a doctor's appointment next Thursday morning. She found the note stuck on her briefcase – a spot she would never miss.

Kyoya served as the de facto secretary and record keeper of the household. While the six men had their designated day with her, the schedule could be adjusted to accommodate business trips, emergencies, illnesses and other reasons. It fell to Kyoya to redo the schedule and make

the final decision when it came to swapping days. But for the most part, they tried to stick to the schedule.

Hunny ended up with Mondays, Kaoru Tuesdays, Tamaki Wednesdays, Hikaru Thursdays, Kyoya Fridays and Mori Saturdays. Haruhi had Sundays all to herself but in reality, they tried to monopolize her own time too.

When she wanted a break from them, she would take off by herself on Sunday. Sometimes, she would go to a library where she spent hours surrounded by books, drop by a supermarket to look for bargains or visit her father's grave to pay her respects. Now and then, she met with the few middle school friends who stuck by her. She never told her six "husbands" where she went. And they knew well enough not to ask.

It was up to her who she chose to spend the night with on Sundays. There were times when she would knock on one particular door often. If the others knew, they never let on. They have learned how to compromise through the years.

She sought Mori when she wanted some peace and quiet. He was a calm presence in her life and she liked how he always acted like a gentleman around her. She knew Hunny would let her be when she was exhausted, content to hold her like a live Usa-chan.

Tamaki treated her like a princess. But he easily misinterpreted her body language. Cuddling to him meant rejection.

She went to Kaoru when she needed gentle hands and a willing listener. He also shared many things about him and Hikaru with her. Kaoru explained their contradictory nature. How they wanted to be understood but also not to be understood. She found him to be a very deep thinker.

But Kyoya and Hikaru were another matter. Sleep was out of the question with those two who were responsible for a lot of ruined nightwear.

For all his seeming coldness, Kyoya was really a passionate man. He would never say or show her how he felt when others were around. But he willingly expressed himself when it was only the two of them. He knew every inch of her body and used that knowledge well.

In Hikaru's arms, she forgot cases, schedules and appointments. He never asked just took what he needed and she found it hard to deny him. Of all the six, he was the most possessive. He loathed seeing her leave his bed. On Thursday nights, he would sleep holding her close to him.

Who knew she would get used to living like this? Haruhi remembered well how they first broached the idea to her.

She thought them insane when they asked if she would become their wife. If this was a joke, she told them it was in very poor taste. Kyoya assured her they were serious. She could not believe this was happening. It was just the beginning.

From then on, she did not bother to make plans for the weekend. What was the point? Without fail, the ex-Host Club members would whisk her away to an outing or enlist her aid in another of Tamaki's hare-brained schemes. Her protests fell on deaf ears.

Then like clockwork, one of them would plead their case to her.

"Be with us."

She turned them down every time. After three years, shock had given way to annoyance then to resignation. She expected to hear the question at every outing.

Tamaki's latest idea to understand commoners was to fly couch class where he heard the common folk subsisted on only seven peanuts throughout the flight. He didn't care where they would go, the point was the plane ride. The others settled on Singapore.

He was crushed when she turned down his invitation. She didn't see the point of the trip plus she wanted to study during the weekend for a test. She couldn't use the "no passport" excuse anymore since they got her one during a trip in high school she would rather forget.

"But everyone's coming. Kyoya said we might learn new ways to save money."

"No thank you, senpai."

Kyoya e-mailed her their flight schedule in case she changed her mind. Just to make sure the twins couldn't kidnap her, she locked and barred the door. She was surprised when they didn't show up.

She spent most of her Saturday poring over textbooks and flipping through her notes. Deciding to take a break, she turned on the television set. The station broke into the regular programming to announce that a Japan Airlines plane bound for Singapore crashed. No word yet if there was any survivors. The anchorwoman said the plane left Narita International Airport, mentioned the flight number and a phone number that relatives of the passengers could call.

Haruhi wondered where she had seen that flight number before. She decided to check the e-mail from Kyoya. It was the same flight.

She called the phone number but the line was busy. Unable to wait any longer, she left her apartment and headed to the airport by train, which took about an hour.

Anxious people crowded the Japan Airlines counter demanding information. One of the employees quickly printed out the passenger list and put it up for people to check. He promised to update the list as soon as they verified who actually boarded the plane.

Haruhi maneuvered her way through the crowd until she stood in front of the list. She ran her finger down the list and stopped when she saw "Haninozuka, Mitsukuni". After Hunny's name, she found the twins', Mori's, Kyoya's and finally Tamaki's. Her mouth went dry.

Someone asked her a question but she shook her head and slowly moved away from the crowd. An airline employee ran up to Haruhi, pressed a cup of coffee in her hands and offered her a chair. She sat down because she didn't think her legs would hold her up much longer.

She was all alone now.

There was no longer any need for Tamaki-senpai to understand the common folk with his latest crazy plan. Neither would Kyoya-senpai reap any more profit or derive amusement from implementing these plans. Hikaru and Kaoru won't dress her up or drag her off on another adventure any more. She won't hear Hunny-senpai's cheerful greeting or feel his exuberant hugs. The days of Mori-senpai ruffling her hair and smiling at her were gone.

The coffee was cold when she finally took a sip. She still couldn't believe it. They were gone, just like that. She became furious at Tamaki for suggesting the trip and at Kyoya for going along with it.

"Didn't any of you rich bastards have a plane of your own? Why did you have to take that flight? Why didn't you stop Tamaki-senpai? You idiots."

Haruhi bit her lip to stop herself from saying anything more. She was the one acting stupid by blaming the dead. How was that supposed to help anyone? It didn't when her father died. But they were there for her at the time. She would make sure she honored them properly.

A tear fell into the paper cup she was holding. She touched her cheeks which were wet. She didn't realize she'd been crying.

A handkerchief appeared in front of her. Her eyes traveled from the hand holding the handkerchief to the stoic face of its owner. She gasped in surprise.

"What's wrong Haru-chan? Who made you cry?," Hunny asked as he bounded up to her.

"Haruhi! You changed your mind after all!," Tamaki said then peered at her face. "Why are you crying? Who is responsible for this evil deed?"

"The plane crashed," was all she could say as she took Mori's handkerchief and dried her tears quickly.

"And you thought we were on it," Kyoya added. He'd only seen her cry once and that was when Ranka-san died.

"We missed our flight because milord insisted on traveling like the commoners do," Kaoru explained. "Kyoya-senpai said we could take either the Narita Express or the Skyliner Express to the airport but milord said most commoners couldn't afford that and instead use the regular Keisei trains."

"Sure we saved money on the fare but the train we took was slow, made a lot of stops and was jammed full of people. We were squashed together," Hikaru said and shuddered.

"Now we're out of the money we spent on the plane tickets too," Kyoya said. Of course it was just pocket money to them.

"But aren't we lucky we missed the plane? We could have really died and left Haru-chan all alone," Hunny said quietly. "Those poor passengers."

"Hunny-senpai is right. We are lucky. But I don't think we should be celebrating our good fortune while others around us are in pain," Tamaki said and walked to the airline counter.

They saw him talking to a representative of the airline. He returned with that determined look they all know so well.

"Kyoya call a restaurant and order lunch and dinner for the passengers' relatives and the airline employees here. We'll do the serving. It's the least we could do," Tamaki said.

The six men missed their flight, saved nothing and ended up exhausted by the end of the day. Haruhi forgot about studying for a test and helped serve the food. Kyoya also ordered tissues, which they offered discreetly to anyone they saw who needed it.

While taking a breather, Tamaki sat down next to her.

"Haruhi, would you really miss me if I died? Would you miss any of us?" he asked and looked at her with a wistful expression on his face.

Her gaze strayed to the others – Kyoya supervising the twins as they collected empty plates, Hunny and Mori handing out blankets the airline provided. She thought about suddenly losing them and her chest hurt.

"Haruhi?"

"I think I would miss you senpai. I would miss all of you a lot."

"Then be with us forever."

"There's no forever, senpai. Just today and tomorrow."

"Just think about it," Tamaki said and left to join the others.

For some reason, she wanted him to stay longer but she couldn't say anything. She could only watch him walk away.

The next weekend rolled around but no twins banged on her door and no Hunny cheerfully called out her name. She was surprised. It was the same next weekend. They didn't call or send her as much as an e-mail during this period. She thought that maybe they'd finally given up their crazy idea. But instead of being relieved, she felt a pang of regret. Then her common sense reasserted itself. It would never work out.

She didn't know the former Shadow King had set one of his plans into motion. Kyoya remembered her behavior at the airport and guessed the tide was turning in their favor. He banned them from having any contact with her, which was easier said than done.

Tamaki was driving him crazy with frequent calls and demands to see Haruhi. The blond had just left the Ohtori mansion somewhat mollified by his best friend's assurances that Haruhi would seek them out herself if they continued this course of action. Kyoya predicted she would call the twins since she was closest to them and knew them best. He was wrong.

Two more weeks passed.

Mori was in the middle of his morning training when a maid interrupted him to say a Ms. Fujioka was on the line. He dropped his sword in surprise.

Haruhi asked him to meet her at Hunny's favorite bakery, which brought up an unpleasant memory for Mori. But he agreed to meet her.

She was already there when he arrived. He sat down across from her and waited. She looked nervous.

"Mori-senpai, why is everyone avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?"

He shook his head.

"We would never be upset with you."

She sighed in relief and smiled at him. He smiled back. She never knew how her smiles affected them, he thought.

"Would you like some tea and maybe a slice of that strawberry cake Hunny-senpai likes?"

He nodded. She only ordered tea for herself. When the drinks and cake arrived, he ate while she sipped her tea in comfortable silence. He paid the bill to her dismay and held the door open for her when they left.

They strolled through the city and stopped at a park. He dusted a bench first then motioned for her to sit.

"Mori-senpai, why would you all make such a proposal to me?"

"Everyone cares about you."

"Would you be fine living like that? Being ridiculed by people?"

He nodded.

"It would never work out. Why would you do it?"

Mori held out his hand to her, which she took after a moment's hesitation. He led her to a section of the park where the trees towered above them.

"Haruhi. What others think about us don't matter."

She looked up at him. Mori bent down and kissed her. She slowly closed her eyes and twined her arms around him. She knew what to do then.

She met with Kyoya next who insisted on taking her to dinner. The restaurant's décor was understated but she knew it was one of the city's most expensive establishments. She feared he was going to add this onto her debt then realized she paid that off a long time ago.

"Kyoya-senpai, what would you get out of such an arrangement? I don't think your father would approve and you might not become the Ohtori heir."

"That is a strong possibility. But I would definitely benefit if you accept our proposal."

Kyoya puzzled her the most. She doubted if he liked her that way and he certainly wouldn't gain any merits by sleeping with her. She told him that before and he agreed then. So why would he join the others and risk losing the Ohtori fortune?

He changed the topic and they chatted about her studies, current events and trends in the Japanese economy. She admired his intelligence and keen grasp of the issues.

Haruhi brought up the proposal again while they stood outside her apartment.

"Kyoya-senpai, what's in it for you? You would actually lose money and your position in society by doing this."

She was as blunt as ever. He smirked and lightly ran his hands along her bare arms.

"But I would gain what I've always wanted. You," he said as he suddenly pinned her arms above her head and kissed her.

He poured everything he felt about her in that kiss. When he released her, she looked very surprised.

"Tamaki isn't the only one who cares about you," he said slowly. "It certainly wasn't enjoyable for me watching him and the others try to win you, knowing you thought I was just humoring you."

Haruhi knew Kyoya was really a kind man after the incidents at the beach and the department store. But she was seeing a side of him she didn't think existed. This man who valued power, money and social position was risking losing it all for her.

"Kyoya."

He noted the lack of honorific and waited expectantly.

"I want my own room," she said.

He won. The next time he kissed Haruhi, he made sure to take off his glasses. There was no need for barriers between them.

Haruhi showed up outside the gates of Suoh Mansion No. 2 the following day and hailed a gardener. Tamaki soon came running out accompanied by Antoinette the dog.

"Haruhi what brings you here? Is something wrong?"

"I wanted to give you my answer."

"To what?" he asked as he ordered Antoinette to behave. The dog barked happily and wagged her tail.

Haruhi shouted to make herself heard above the barking.

"You asked me at the airport if I wanted to be with you all forever!"

Tamaki flung open the gates and dragged her in. He didn't stop running until they were in his room. She tried to catch her breath as he hovered anxiously near her.

"Have you… have you changed your mind?" he asked hesitantly.

To punish him for making her run, she told him to ask her again.

"Be with us forever, Haruhi."

"There's no such thing as forever, Tamaki. Just today and tomorrow."

He noticed she didn't call him senpai anymore.

"Then we'll be together today and for many tomorrows."

"OK."

Tamaki spun her around the room until she told him she was getting dizzy. He knelt before her and kissed her hand. In the old days, she would have said something that would send him moping to a corner. This time, she said nothing but smiled.

She was used to being smothered with affection. It was ironic how he reminded Haruhi of the way her father treated her. And her father didn't like Tamaki at all.

Hunny was waiting for her outside her apartment when she got home. His only companion was a cake box.

"Haru-chan, Takashi told me you've decided to accept our proposal."

She let him in. She made tea as he sliced the strawberry cake and put them on two plates.

"I know you're worried about how our families would react. But Takashi is right. What others think of us isn't important."

She served him tea and put a familiar looking jewelry box in front of him. He looked at the box and back at her.

"I don't want to just be your friend anymore Haru-chan. But don't force yourself to be with me if you don't love me."

She put down her teacup.

"Someone told me recently what a ruby stands for. I'm sorry I didn't find out sooner," she said.

Hunny told himself he wasn't going to cry in front of her like a child. So he swallowed the lump in his throat then took a bite out of his cake. It didn't taste so good right now. He sighed.

"Do you love _me_ Haru-chan?"

"What makes you think I don't, Hunny?"

He took the necklace out of the box. She moved her now shoulder-length hair out of the way, so he could put it around her neck. She turned around to face him. He tasted of strawberries, cream and tears when he kissed her.

She visited the Hitachiins at their mother's workshop. They were helping with the fall line. She found them surrounded by bolts of cloth and sketches.

"What brings you here? We usually have to drag you out of that dreary apartment of yours," Kaoru said and motioned for Hikaru to join them.

She asked if they were free for lunch, which shocked them. Something certainly was up.

They decided to eat at a nearby Chinese place their mother frequented. As they walked together, Hikaru automatically slung an arm over Haruhi's shoulders while Kaoru looped his arm around her waist. She was used to them hanging all over her. It would be weird to her if they kept their hands to themselves.

As usual, they ordered the spiciest thing on the menu. While they waited for their orders to arrive, the twins grinned at her across the table. She thought of the sneaky Siamese cats in that old American cartoon, "Lady and the Tramp."

"Why is Haruhi treating us to lunch, Kaoru?"

"Maybe she's finally fallen in love and wants to tell us all about it."

"Oh. Who is it?"

Haruhi was thankful the waiter showed up with the food just then. They kept shooting her suspicious looks while she calmly ate. She let them stew for a while although she could see Hikaru getting more annoyed by the second.

"I hope it's not some boring guy at Tokyo U," Hikaru said sullenly.

"No we met when I was a teenager."

Kaoru suddenly lost his appetite and pushed his plate away. Kyoya-senpai's plan had backfired. They pushed her toward someone else. It must be that guy in Karuizawa, he thought miserably. He knew Hikaru would react badly and wondered how milord would handle the news.

"He's not good enough for you," Hikaru said.

"How do you know that?"

"It's not Arai-kun is it?" Kaoru asked softly.

They looked so miserable that Haruhi couldn't help but laugh. She had learned something from them after all. The twins scratched their heads. She was acting too odd.

"Who are you and what did you do to Haruhi?" Hikaru asked.

"Sorry. Sorry. You guys just looked too funny."

She decided she toyed with them enough.

"I don't want you two barging in my room when we move in together. And keep your hands off my clothes," she said and sneaked a bite off Kaoru's plate.

Her eyes watered and she downed half her Coke.

"Why can't you eat like normal people?" she gasped out. "What's wrong now?"

They were gawking at her.

"You're moving in with us?" Hikaru asked slowly.

"I thought the offer was to live with the six of you."

In a flash, they sat on either side of her and rubbed their cheeks against hers.

"To be loved by two men who have such a close relationship… Ah, what stimulation!" Hikaru declared.

"The ultimate romance, wouldn't you say?" Kaoru added.

They used this line on her before. She sighed and reached for her soda. But Hikaru took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"We promise you'll never have a boring life with us."

Kyoya persuaded Haruhi to attend law school in Japan. She had the noisiest cheering section when she graduated. It wasn't too long before she landed a job with the one of the country's most prestigious law firms.

While she enjoyed being a lawyer, the firm denied her criminal cases. She was relegated to contracts, corporate mergers, wills and other such transactions. She didn't need it spelled out for her. Her private life was a liability. The press would focus more on her than on the trial or the crime.

Haruhi understood this and wisely never told the men in her life. It was a small price to pay compared to what they gave up to be with her. Who knew she would end up living this way? But she was used to adapting to unusual situations. Her childhood and her years at the Host Club prepared her for it.

When she arrived that night, she stared at the big white house she now called home. They all looked up as she opened the carved oak doors. Tamaki took her briefcase and kissed her on the cheek. Hikaru and Kaoru showed their latest designs asking her to model it tonight preferably without any underwear. She sighed while Tamaki called them perverts.

Hunny waved merrily at her as he played with Yuji and Mori stood on guard holding the baby's bottle. Kyoya stopped typing on his laptop long enough to ask her how her day went.

Before she could answer him, Antoinette ran full tilt into her and knocked her down. Antoinette thoroughly licked her face before Tamaki pulled the dog off her.

At dinner, Haruhi surveyed the faces around the table and noted that Mori needed a haircut. She wondered how her mother would think of her situation.

"Mother in Heaven, I'm a lawyer now. I have a son, six men who love me and an unruly dog," she thought. "They drive me crazy sometimes but I suppose I'll never leave them. Because we're family."


	8. Chapter 8

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School Host Club is the property of Bisco Hatori

Author's note: This one contains a lime and something vaguely lemony.

Chapter 8

Haruhi took the day off because of a doctor's appointment thinking she would spend the greater part of the morning in the waiting room. But for once, the man actually saw her on time. So here she was at home with time on her hands.

She wanted to play with Yuji but the baby still slumbered. Figures he would take after his biological father, she thought. The servants were horrified when she offered to help clean the house. Her once a week cooking stint was enough for them.

With the others still at work, she found the house too quiet and turned on the television set. Haruhi grew uneasy when the perky weather girl announced a thunderstorm could hit the city tonight.

She flipped through the channels but couldn't find any show worth watching. She decided to do the laundry instead.

Ignoring the servants' protests, she went from room to room collecting dirty clothes then headed to the laundry room. She was busy sorting through the pile when a pair of arms snaked their way around her waist and Hikaru perched his head on her shoulder.

He knew she took the day off and made a point to come home early. Thursday was _his _day.

"Why are you doing the wash? We have a maid."

"And having a maid means I can't wash my own clothes anymore? Besides, she's busy cleaning your room and I need to do the laundry before it starts raining."

He laughed.

"Haruhi we have a dryer. You don't need to hang the laundry outside like a commoner. Come play with me. I'm bored."

"I am a commoner. Why don't you play with Kaoru instead. I'm busy."

"The game I'm thinking about only needs you," he whispered and pulled her closer. He started kissing her neck and his hands wandered under her shirt.

"Hikaru I'm really busy right now."

"Not anymore," he said, turned her around and kissed her hard.

Hikaru stopped kissing her long enough to take off his clothes then strip her of her shirt, shorts and underwear. He planted kisses on her jaw, neck, shoulder and in the valley between her breasts, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. She gazed at him with half-lidded eyes as he pushed her against the wall and took her standing up. They slid together to the floor.

He suckled her like a child while his roaming hands kneaded and stroked her suddenly heated flesh. She lost herself in the sensations he evoked and clutched him frantically to her. He kept murmuring her name as he came.

"So much for doing the laundry today," Hikaru said later with a wicked smile. "Let's have another game. If you lose, Kaoru gets to play with us."

Haruhi sighed. It wasn't the first time he brought this up.

"Don't even go there Hikaru," she said and grabbed her clothes away from him.

He and Kaoru didn't share a room anymore but each used a king-sized bed. She didn't ask why but accepted it as part of who they were. Not that she believed their twincest act in high school. She just assumed that they slept in the same bed because it was something they did since childhood.

Hikaru cornered her later in the bathroom and insisted on taking a bath together. He kissed her objections away and they ended up making love in the shower.

As she toweled herself dry, she wondered what was up with him today. He was practically insatiable.

They didn't eat with the rest of the family at dinner. He wanted to stay in his room and told the servants to bring them dinner. She reminded him they didn't live at the Hilton and he couldn't order room service.

"Damn rich bastard," she muttered under her breath.

He just cuddled up next to her and channel surfed until he found a show he liked. Kaoru joined them later. He and Hikaru kept a running commentary on the makeup and fashion sense of the actors. She was used to this by now and tried to tune them out as she watched the show. Kaoru draped himself on her other side and idly played with her hair.

When the first peal of thunder rumbled, she succumbed to her childhood fear and cowered. Her only thought was to hide quickly under something sturdy like a table.

Instead, two warm bodies cocooned her. Soothing voices told her repeatedly she was safe. She sought refuge in their embrace and breathed in the familiar scent of their cologne. They stroked her hair and told her to relax and sleep.

The storm had passed when she woke up. She was lying between the sleeping twins who had their arms wrapped protectively around her. They looked so peaceful when asleep but she knew well their true natures. One of their club customers described them as sinfully beautiful before fainting away. Haruhi agreed more with Tamaki who once called them devils.

They could be sweet sometimes. She bestowed a soft kiss on them as her thanks. But when she tried to free herself, they tightened their grip. Hikaru rained kisses on her face and neck. When she opened her mouth to protest, he silenced her with a kiss. She forgot what she was going to say.

She felt hands removing her pajamas and hungry mouths licking and kissing her all over. They drew moans out of her and forced her to beg for more.

They caged her in their arms and exacted their pleasure from her together. They were dragging her to hell and she didn't care.

Haruhi wasn't used to seeing Kaoru like this. Gone was the gentle lover. He mirrored Hikaru in his hunger; bruising her lips with his kisses as he roughly claimed her.

She scratched her nails down Kaoru's back as she screamed her release. Hikaru moaned beneath her and kept a tight grip on her hips as Kaoru's teeth lightly grazed her throat and he bit down on her shoulder.

Afterward, she hugged herself tight and scooted away from them. She was embarrassed at the way she acted and angry that she let herself fall into their trap. She knew they planned this.

Kaoru moved closer and kissed the bite mark on her shoulder. A shiver ran through her.

"Haruhi," he whispered. "It won't happen again if you don't want it to. Please don't be angry."

She turned her face away. She felt him leave her side and heard them whispering to each other. She stood up, found her discarded clothing and quickly dressed.

"I'm not your toy. You can't use me to relieve your boredom," she told them and left.

She slept on a futon in the nursery and locked the door.

Haruhi said nothing at the breakfast table ate almost nothing and left for work quickly. Everyone could sense the tension between her and the Hitachiins. Tamaki rounded on Hikaru and demanded to know what happened last night. Hikaru refused to say anything but didn't meet anyone's eyes.

They all turned to Kaoru who didn't break even when Hunny muttered darkly that he wasn't really a patient man.

Kyoya pushed back his chair and stood up.

"Whatever it is I suggest you two start making amends now. Apologize, grovel or promise her the world. Do what you have to do," he said coldly and stalked out of the room. His unspoken threat hung in the air.

The twins knew they would have to answer to Kyoya if they screwed this up.

The rest followed him, leaving the twins by themselves. The nanny appeared with a fussing Yuji. Kaoru took the baby from her and walked around with the child humming a lullaby. Yuji quieted down and yawned in his arms. The nanny withdrew.

"Hikaru, what are we going to do?"

"What Kyoya-senpai said."

"I think we need to tell her the truth."

"She might not believe us."

Haruhi arrived home to find Hikaru and Kaoru waiting for her. They already fed the baby and put him to sleep. No one else was at the house since the twins told the servants to take the rest of the day off and asked the other men to take their time coming home.

They served her ootoro and crab for dinner. They toyed with their food as she ate silently.

"Haruhi, we're sorry about last night. We had no intentions of forcing you to do something you aren't comfortable with or ready for," Kaoru said softly.

"You two never learn," she said and set her glass down sharply on the table.

"You think you can continue to do whatever you want with me because it suits your needs? You've dragged me places against my will and treated me like a plaything. Don't think that I will always be with you."

Hikaru looked stricken.

"Are you leaving us? What about this family?" he asked.

"Legally, we are not a family. And I can raise Yuji on my own."

She didn't say another word. She cleared the table and was washing the dishes when she sensed them standing behind her.

Before, they would have immediately thrown an arm around her shoulder or her waist. Now they were afraid one touch from them would send her packing immediately.

"It's our fault so we're the ones who need to leave. Maybe someday you can forgive us," Kaoru said in a voice choked with emotion. "Can we ask you one thing, Haruhi? Will you let us see Yuji from time to time?"

Her heart hammered in her chest. All she wanted was to scare the twins, make them realize they could not run roughshod over her anymore.

Hikaru gingerly touched her shoulder. When she didn't shrug his hand off, he took a risk and hugged her.

"I need you and Kaoru needs you. To us it was only natural that we share the woman we love."

"We had always craved for someone who can accept us," Kaoru added. "Then we met you."

When she didn't say anything, Hikaru let go and walked away with his brother.

Haruhi realized that in their world such logic made sense. They were walking contradictions. They wanted to be understood yet wanted not to be understood. They were one unique entity but also separate beings. Each claimed her yet saw her as belonging to both.

She found them in Kaoru's room lying in the dark. She turned on the lights, surprising them.

"I didn't say I was walking out on this family. And if you two leave, I suppose I would have to buy clothes again at the store. Not that it matters to me what I look like. I suppose the baby will miss you, Kaoru, since you're the only one besides Hunny who can calm him down."

She sighed and sat on the bed. They stared at her hopefully and she allowed a small smile to escape her. Hikaru buried his head in her lap and Kaoru smiled in relief. She briefly patted Hikaru's head then stood up.

"As punishment, I'm not sleeping with you two for a month. Good night."

"We weren't that bad, at least I wasn't," Hikaru muttered.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru elbowed his twin to shut up.

Haruhi was already halfway out the door but stopped.

"You never asked if I wanted to take the next step in this relationship. You assumed I would just go along. You need to listen to what I want too," she said then added as an afterthought. "But both of you were good."

She left the twins blushing – a rare sight since they usually did that to others.

Handsome, often wicked and certainly damned; they were sin personified. Her sins.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's note: Sorry for the delay guys. I was on jury duty then got saddled with a project at work. I intended the chapter about the twins to be lemony because it is something they might do. Unlike the others, they like skirting the boundaries. Only three more chapters left on this tale.

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School Host Club is the property of Bisco Hatori

Chapter Nine

Takashi Morinozuka was a man of few words and the occasional gesture. Silence didn't make him uncomfortable. However, he lived in a world filled with noisy and garrulous people.

Because he never saw the need to chatter about himself, people assumed certain things about him. Some of their club customers even thought he and Hunny were a couple which puzzled him. That was the twins' selling point, not theirs.

He and Hunny are family, friends and fellow martial artists. They grew up together and he always stood by his cousin although Hunny really did not need protecting.

Mori's future was set when his father introduced him to Hunny. He wanted to serve the Haninozuka clan as his ancestors did before him although more as a comrade than as a servant. He thought that would be enough for him and devoted himself to Hunny.

When Tamaki asked him to join the Host Club, he wasn't so sure at first. Until Hunny said he was joining the club, which settled the issue for Mori. Wherever his cousin went, he made sure to follow.

Then he met a girl with big brown eyes who was dressed as a boy. He didn't realize Haruhi was a girl until he rescued her from an over affectionate Tamaki.

He expected the insanity that was the Host Club to drive her away. But she stayed to pay her debt despite the constant manhandling of the twins and the frequent demands on her attention by Tamaki. She had a sense of honor and he admired her for that.

She was unlike the girls in his world. Haruhi didn't care about her looks or the roles men and women were supposed to assume. The club members' social status, wealth and charms failed to impress her as well. But while she spoke bluntly, she meant no ill will.

Haruhi was also a commoner who moved in a different world. All of them saw how Tamaki became besotted with her and with a social class they rarely thought about. It wasn't long before all of them were equally smitten.

Haruhi remained unaware of their feelings. It was a peculiarity of hers. For someone so smart and astute, she couldn't see the battle brewing among her fellow hosts over her.

He liked her and sometimes showed it by affectionately rumpling her hair like an older brother. Mori couldn't tell exactly when he began to see her differently. Hunny knew long before he did though.

Silence had often served him well. Hunny usually spoke for them both anyway. But silent contemplation of one Haruhi Fujioka did not bring him any closer to winning her hand. Neither did dreaming of her.

Part of his problem was that his cousin loved her too. Takashi Morinozuka believed in duty and tradition. So he said nothing to her. He also didn't think he had a chance since he could not freely express his affection like the others. He kept everything inside and loved her in silence.

Yet fortune smiled on him in the form of Kyoya's proposal. Of course, it was preposterous but somehow they eventually won her over.

When she came to him that day and asked if he would be all right living with everyone, he knew she loved him too. However, he kissed her to make sure.

He accepted the arrangement as the only solution to their dilemma. It was either give her up to one of his friends or lose her to a stranger. He really didn't like to lose. Neither did he like fighting with his friends.

He was honored when he became the first man she slept with. But he would not hurt the others by revealing that fact and he was too much of a gentleman to boast about it.

He and Hunny were the first to move into the new house followed by Haruhi. They insisted on carrying her meager belongings themselves.

Hunny got a call and left later to close the deal on the location for their new dojo. He insisted Mori stay behind to look after things. Mori understood his role was to protect Haruhi.

Haruhi's few possessions barely filled the room she chose. He made a mental note to buy her furniture then ask Kyoya to convince her to accept the gift.

"Mori, are you hungry? Let's see what we can scrounge in the kitchen," she said and led the way. He followed.

He and Hunny didn't know how to cook and subsisted on takeout when they moved in. Well, not the cheap takeout commoners were used to. There was nothing to cook in the house so Haruhi announced that she was going to the supermarket. She seemed surprised when he tagged along and didn't really like it when he paid the bill. She sighed in defeat when he said nothing but carried the groceries.

He helped her clear the table after dinner and they retired to the living room where he read a book while she studied. At 11 p.m., he looked up from his book and saw she'd fallen asleep on top of her textbooks and notes. He carried her to her room. But she didn't have a bed just a futon that needed to be unrolled.

He didn't want her lying on the floor while he set up her bedding so he put her in his bed instead. He slept on the floor.

Haruhi felt bad for taking his bed away from him but he didn't mind. Hunny called to say he wouldn't be home because Chika-chan needed convincing about certain matters. Mori knew from his tone that the younger Haninozuka was in for a painful lesson.

When Mori saw the thin futon Haruhi owned, he offered his bed again. She declined but he insisted which was rare for him. He didn't think it was right for him to sleep in comfort while she slept on nothing more than flattened foam.

"The futon is fine with me, Mori. It's the same one I've used since high school."

"You need a new futon."

"I don't get paid until next week."

He knew it would be pointless to offer to pay for a new futon right now.

"Use my bed. I'm fine with the couch or the floor."

She didn't want to impose on him and certainly didn't like him sleeping on the couch that was too small for his frame or on the cold floor again. They agreed to share the bed and headed to the living room. As she pored over her textbooks and Mori prepared to resume his reading, he was struck at how easily they settled into a routine.

He wondered if things would be this easy with five other people in the house. He later nodded off to sleep.

Mori felt someone shaking him and calling his name. He opened his eyes and saw Haruhi's face. He was keenly aware of how close she was and got up quickly.

His sudden movement caught her by surprise and she fell. He grabbed her and cushioned her fall with his body. He thanked years of training for his quick reflexes. But it didn't solve his problem since her face was a mere three inches away now.

Kissing her seemed the most natural thing to do along with holding her tight. But that was all he would allow himself to do.

When she kissed him back and ran her hands through his hair, he could hear the pounding of his heart and felt the familiar heat of desire. He broke off the kiss to gain control of himself.

She opened her eyes and calmly gazed at him.

He looked at her and all he could think about was kissing her again. He longed to lose himself in her and to hear her call only his name. He knew he wanted the impossible.

She asked if she'd done something wrong. He shook his head unwilling to break his silence, uncertain of what he would say.

"Takashi."

She had never called him by his first name before. It gave him the courage to say what he dreamed of for so long.

"I want you, Haruhi."

She tentatively reached out to him but stopped. He understood. She was trying to meet him halfway. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes."

He had slept with a woman before. In an earlier era, polite society would have described Mori as having experience in such matters or that he wasn't an innocent anymore. He doubted if any of the men in the former Host Club were still virgins.

He carried her to his room but stopped just outside the door and asked again if she wanted this. There was no doubt in the brown eyes that met his and no hesitation in the soft lips that kissed him.

There was only the two of them and this moment.

Mori carefully placed her on his bed. They removed each other's clothing in between caresses. When Haruhi tried to cover her small breasts, he took her hands in his and kissed her deeply. She didn't need to be embarrassed in front of him. She was perfect in his eyes.

She had read that it would hurt the first time and it did. But Mori was patient and gentle with her. He kissed away the tears, wrapped the blanket around her and apologized for the pain. She wondered aloud if it would hurt the second time as she traced figures on his chest. He smiled and showed her it didn't. Neither did the third time.

As she later slept soundly beside him, he softly caressed her cheek.

"Haruhi," he whispered her name like a prayer. "I will love you always."

And he kept his promise through the years despite the complicated ties that bound him to her and his friends.

Mori feared few things in this world but he was scared of losing the fiercely independent woman who stole his heart. He knew they couldn't claim her as their own for Haruhi belonged to no one but herself. When the baby came, he secretly hoped it would make it harder for her to leave them. Then he chided himself for being selfish.

He would not put limits on her. She was free to love the others, even free to walk out of their lives. He anticipated that happening someday. No woman as practical and independent as she would put up with their unusual living arrangements for long. But for now he was content to quietly support her because she was the most important person in his life.

Yet he found it hard to keep jealousy at bay sometimes. He was only a man after all, not the robot the twins once joked he was.

He and Hunny came home from a business trip one Saturday as a car bearing Yuzuru Suoh left the driveway. A melancholy piano tune filled the house as they walked in.

Kaoru filled them in on the details. Yuzuru Suoh received word that Tamaki's mother was very ill. He managed to find her hiding place in France and he wanted Tamaki to go to her right away. The Hitachiins' family plane was unavailable and the earliest flight Kyoya could get for France didn't leave until the next morning.

Tamaki didn't talk to any of them and locked himself in the music room with only the piano for company. He didn't join them for dinner either.

The piano music stopped after several hours and still Tamaki didn't talk to any of them. In Mori's room, an anxious Haruhi strained her ears to pick up any piano music or the familiar footsteps of Tamaki. Mori put her on his lap where she fit perfectly in his opinion but she remained tense.

"Haruhi?"

"I feel terrible for Tamaki. What if he arrives too late?"

"He won't."

"It's hard to lose a mother."

He embraced her tightly then put her down. Puzzled, she turned to Mori.

"Go to him."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. Tamaki needed her more right now.

She reached up and kissed him.

"Thank you Takashi."

It was only the second time she called him by his name. She didn't look back as she left. Every step she took away from him hurt but he told himself he could bear it.

The music room was empty so Haruhi went to Tamaki's room. She knocked on the door but got no response. She didn't expect any. Haruhi turned the handle and found the door unlocked.

Tamaki was sitting on his bed poring over pictures of his mother. He didn't notice her come in until she sat next to him. He seemed surprised then offered a picture for her to peruse. They looked through the pictures and mementos he kept in a box.

"I've always wanted you to meet her. I know she would love you and the baby."

She nodded and touched his arm in sympathy. He turned his blue eyes her way.

"If you could choose to be with just one of us, who would it be?"

The question caught her off guard but she could not lie to him. After all these years, she would not lie to him.

"I'm not sure who I would pick. It would be hard."

It wasn't the answer Tamaki wanted to hear. He hid his eyes behind his bangs and put the box away.

"It's not my day today so why are you here?" he stammered out.

"Because I thought you needed me."

He flung himself at her and hugged her tight. She was used to his bear hugs by now and hugged him back.

Tamaki needed this blunt woman more than she could ever know. He often insisted that he loved her more than the others and would usually try to outdo his friends in expressing affection toward her. He dreaded losing Haruhi to his friends.

They entered this arrangement because none of them wanted to lose her. He knew that even Kyoya would choose her over their friendship. He hoped that she stayed with them always. But she told him several times before that there were no certainties in their world.

He ran a hand through her silky hair and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Will you love me forever, Haruhi?"

"There is no such thing as forever, Tamaki."

He was foolish to ask such a question but he often tried to reassure himself that she would still be here when he opened his eyes the next day.

"Didn't I say I'll be with you?"

"So have you fallen for me again?" he asked in his best Host King voice.

"I'm not one of the Host Club's customers. But I do love you, Tamaki. And I'll stay with you as long as I can."

He was rendered speechless. Words of endearment weren't in her usual vocabulary. He embraced her and started kissing her.

It took very little to make Tamaki happy - loving words, a sweet glance and an occasional caress from her. And Haruhi wanted him to be happy because she really did love the unselfish idiot.

Mori found his bedroom too big and empty all of a sudden. He sought company but Mitsukuni was already in dreamland mumbling about cakes and Haru-chan. Hearing her name, Mori's lips tightened and he left his cousin's room. His feet took him to the nursery where he expected Yuji to be asleep as well. But the baby was awake. He smiled at Mori and opened his arms out to him.

He loved the boy who did not inherit his blood and legally was not his. But genes and a legal document meant nothing to him when it concerned the baby. Yuji was his son. There was no need for any discussion.

He picked up Yuji and settled in the rocking chair next to the crib. He slowly rocked the baby to sleep, smiling as one small hand refused to let go of his shirt.

Although sharing Haruhi wasn't the life Mori envisioned, he tried to be content with his lot. He would not waste time dreaming of what was and what could be. He learned to live in the here and now.

Yuji's crying woke him up early the next morning. The baby was hungry and bawled his head off to get the attention of the sleepy adults in the house. A blanket covering them slid to the floor as Mori got up from the rocking chair and went in search of milk.

He tossed the blanket back on the chair. He guessed she visited him and Yuji last night and covered them with the blanket. He smiled.

At the breakfast table, Mori noted how the others tried their best to cheer up the departing Tamaki.

Kyoya announced that the hand-carved crib Tamaki ordered for Yuji would arrive tomorrow but he refrained from scolding the blond about how unnecessary a second crib was. He then handed over a plane ticket and explained Tamaki's itinerary.

Hikaru and Kaoru presented Tamaki with several dresses for his mother and didn't pull one prank on their milord this morning. Hunny put a large slice of cake on the ex-Host King's plate.

When a yawning Haruhi appeared wearing one of Tamaki's silk pajamas, Tamaki looked at Mori in gratitude. The stoic man nodded briefly and continued to stir his coffee. Hunny and Kyoya noticed the exchange between them. Hunny slid a piece of cake on his cousin's plate.

The cake tasted like sawdust to Mori as he saw Haruhi take a seat by Tamaki and give the blond all her attention. He tried to ignore the ache he felt inside. He chose this life.

Sharing their princess meant painful compromises and feigned ignorance of certain realities. All of them knew and accepted this. Because Haruhi choosing one of them or heaven forbid, someone else, was out of the question.

Mori didn't say a word as they saw Tamaki off at the airport but patted the former club president's shoulder in a reassuring manner. He looked away when Tamaki kissed Haruhi, promising her he would be back as soon as his mother recovered.

"Takashi, are you all right?" Hunny asked during the drive back home in the limo.

"Not really."

He could never lie to Mitsukuni. It would be like lying to himself.

The smaller man nodded in understanding and sneaked a look at Haruhi who had fallen asleep next to Kyoya. As Hikaru made a move toward her, Kyoya settled Haruhi on his lap as if it was something he did every day. It was a rare show of affection in front of them.

"Kyo-chan, are you ill?"

"I'm fine, Hunny-senpai. Why do you ask?"

"Because you've never done _that _before," was Hikaru's sarcastic comment. "What's next? Pawing her at the dinner table?"

"She would have gotten a cramp sleeping like that," Kyoya explained.

"It's not your day Kyoya-senpai," Hikaru heatedly said.

"Neither is it yours," was the cold reply.

"Shhh. Haru-chan is sleeping," Hunny said sweetly but they recognized the dangerous glint in his eyes.

There was no more conversation in the limo for the rest of the ride. Haruhi murmured something in her sleep and snuggled deeper into Kyoya's embrace. He smirked as Hikaru pointedly looked away. Kaoru sighed.

Kyoya handed Haruhi over to a surprised Mori when they got home and asked him to take care of her, as he needed to make an urgent call to his assistant.

"It's not easy living a fairy tale, is it?" Kyoya quipped and walked away.

Mori put Haruhi to bed assisted by Hunny and the twins. Then they left her alone. Sunday was her day. She could spend it however she wanted with whomever she chose. They tried not to begrudge her that one day and knew better than to ask what she did or where she went.

Mori was deep into a book about Japan's Warring States Era when he heard a knock on his door that night. He slid a rabbit-shaped bookmark given to him by Hunny between the pages and padded silently toward the door.

He opened it to reveal Haruhi. She was dressed in the pale pink flannel pajamas he bought her a year ago with her hair in a ponytail. She had never looked lovelier in his eyes.

"Can I stay here tonight?"

"You don't need to ask," he replied as he pulled her into his arms.

Mori reminded himself that fairy tales do come with happy endings.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's note: I needed villains who weren't sympathetic so the Haradas are intentionally one-dimensional. They're actually based on several hypocrites I have had the misfortune to meet in real life. Neither the anime nor the manga (so far) has revealed the name of Tamaki's mother so I called her Lisette.

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School Host Club is the property of Bisco Hatori

Chapter 10

She likes to feel the sunlight on her face even if she can't muster the strength to walk outside. It reminds her of happier days spent with her son before the family business failed and another woman's ambitions led to their separation.

She blames herself for being sickly, for not being strong-willed enough to resist making a bargain with the Devil. That is why she went into hiding with nothing but her shame to keep her company.

In her dreams, she still hears Tamaki's voice: "I'll go. I'll move to Japan alone. I'll be fine. So maman, please…stay healthy."

She tried to be strong for him but her body betrayed her as the years passed. She wondered if Tamaki was married now and whether he had children. Maybe fate would grant her another wish and let them see each other again. Fate had been kind before when it reunited her with the one man she loved.

"Yuzuru …" she called out softly to the gray-haired man standing by the window.

He walked quickly to her bedside.

"Is the room too bright for you, Lisette? Do you want me to close the curtains?"

"Everything is fine now. Just sit with me awhile."

Yuzuru beamed at her and she was painfully reminded of how her son smiled just like that. She started to weep. He made soothing noises as he wiped away her tears then kissed her.

He should have defied his mother before and spared Lisette and their son all this pain. However, he wasn't strong enough then and feared losing the security and financially stability of the Suohs. He had been a fool.

"Lisette, you have a visitor coming this afternoon. Do you think you'll be well enough to see him?"

"Who is it?"

"It's a surprise," he said and winked at her.

"Will you be there with me?"

"Of course, Cherie."

He occasionally got letters from Lisette during their long separation and he routinely sent money to a bank account for her use. But he was careful not to let his mother get wind of this while she considered Tamaki a potential heir. When she disinherited his son, Yuzuru made no secret of his search for his mistress. What could his mother do to him now?

Afraid that Lisette was dying, a friend broke a vow to keep silent and sent word to Yuzuru about his ailing mistress. He found her in a public hospital under the name of a woman who had been a mutual acquaintance. He had her transferred to a private clinic where she had her own room and her own nurse. He vowed to bring her back to Japan once she was well.

Yuzuru told Tamaki not to tell Lisette about his unusual living arrangements yet. He didn't think she would understand. He didn't know anyone who approved of his son's unusual family.

The couple ate lunch together and he later helped the nurse move her to a wheelchair. She was still too weak to walk on her own. He brushed her hair that was the same color as Tamaki's and put a shawl around her shoulders to keep her warm. He entertained her with tales of their son and the Host Club while they waited for the visitor. Suddenly, the door was flung open and a young man ran into the room.

"Maman!"

Lisette gasped as Tamaki knelt in front of her and buried his face in her lap. She bent down and kissed the top of his head repeatedly. Her son had returned to her.

Several weeks later, she got another shock when Tamaki revealed that he was living with Haruhi along with his friends who were also her lovers. He proudly showed his mother pictures of the baby who clearly did not look like him. She cried and blamed herself for what befell him.

"Maman, I am not asking for your blessing. You can think what you will of us. I just wanted you to see my family. Maybe someday you'll want to meet them."

She nodded.

When Tamaki returned to Japan, he presented Haruhi with a picture of himself and his parents taken on a day trip to Paris.

She had the photo enlarged and framed then hung in her bedroom next to pictures of Kyoya with his sister, Mori and Hunny with the stoic man's younger brother and the twins with their mother. Photos of her father and Yuji have their own place of honor on her nightstand. This was the closest they would come to a family reunion.

After three years, the baby pictures on her nightstand had been replaced by images of a little boy.

With the spring came the arrival of a new family into the neighborhood. Little did anyone know that this would set off a chain of events that would affect the lives of the former Host Club.

Ryoma and Mayu Harada were new money. He was the chief executive officer of a communications company and she was the only child of a man who made his fortune through a chain of convenience stores. The couple had two young sons and presented themselves as the model family. They frowned upon behavior in others that they considered outside the norm.

It did not matter that the Haradas' married only for money or that it had been years since they shared a bed together. Each had their own lovers as well. Society cared not for the sordid truth as long as they presented a façade of marital bliss.

They were incensed when they found out that the big white house on the block served as home to a woman living with six men. Said woman even bore a son whose parentage was a frequent topic of conversation among the neighborhood gossips.

Mayu Harada thought the influence of Haruhi Fujioka's six lovers shielded her from much needed public censure. She decided this was unacceptable and started a campaign to get rid of the "disgraceful" woman.

Her husband agreed wholeheartedly and secretly relished the ratings his station would get from airing an expose on his neighbors.

So it was that reporters pestered the ex-Host Club members again. They thought the media had long ago tired of their story but in the age of 24-hour news, any topic that could be mined and discussed for more than a day was fair game. The story even hit the Internet as one of those odd news segments.

People felt free to weigh in with their opinions. They labeled Haruhi morally bankrupt, called her a whore and a whole host of other names. In the absence of information, they speculated on what went on behind the doors of that pretty, white house. Must be orgies, they whispered amongst themselves.

Many pitied the neighbors for living near a scandalous love nest. The Ohtori family made it publicly known that Kyoya had long been estranged from the clan. The four other families maintained their silence.

Reporters hounded Haruhi wherever she went. She took to staying home on Sundays and asked the law firm to give her work that would not require her to appear in court. She did not want the firm to lose clients because of her.

They seldom watched television now. Kyoya hired security to keep reporters away and block them from prying cameras.

But the media's attention span is thankfully short. Because the former Host Club members never gave interviews and their activities in public were not that exciting, the number of reporters dogging them dwindled after a couple of weeks. Breaking news and bigger scandals diverted the press' attention away from them.

Mayu Harada was incensed even though her husband tried to explain to her the realities of the news business. She focused her ire on the weakest member of the family – 4-year-old Yuji Fujioka.

She poisoned her sons against him by drilling it into their heads that the Fujioka boy came from a terrible family. Her sons told their playmates to keep away from Yuji because his mother was a bad woman.

Yuji's nanny noticed that once friendly children shunned her charge as they walked through the neighborhood or visited the local playground. She couldn't answer him when he asked why no one wanted to play with him anymore.

Haruhi found out when she came home early and noticed her son wistfully watching a group of youngsters playing in a neighbor's yard.

These same children recently frolicked in their garden.

"Mama, am I bad?

"Why do you ask?"

"They said I can't play with them again."

She saw the children point to her and whisper. She took Yuji into the house and firmly closed the door.

The next week, an anonymous letter addressed to Haruhi was taped to their gate. The maid handed it to her while everyone was eating breakfast. She could not believe what she was reading.

"Haru-chan, who is it from? What does it say?" Hunny asked by way of making conversation. He soon regretted asking the question.

Haruhi silently handed him the letter. Hunny skimmed the contents and his face darkened in anger.

"Kyo-chan, I think you need to see this," he said and passed the letter over.

The others crowded around Kyoya as he read the anonymous missive. It claimed to speak for several of the neighbors and demanded Haruhi and her paramours leave because they were a disgrace to the neighborhood. It also mentioned that the residents did not want their children associating anymore with the son of a whore.

They didn't need a signature to know who penned the letter. They already found out which neighbor owns the station that aired stories about them.

Tamaki quickly took Yuji to the music room and gave the boy his first piano lesson. The minute they were gone, an enraged Hikaru tried to rush out of the house but was restrained by Mori and Kaoru. The redhead wanted to confront the Haradas and demanded they let him go.

Hunny cracked his knuckles as he called the couple foul, cowardly scum.

Kyoya went to his room and closed the door. He made several calls and ordered a hostile takeover of a certain communications company. His neighbors would regret they ever crossed his path.

On the third day after she received the letter, Haruhi witnessed her son being pushed around and taunted by several children including the Harada boys. The names they called Haruhi did not affect her but the confused, hurt look on Yuji's face did. He said nothing back to his tormentors.

Haruhi ran to Yuji and picked him up as Mayu Harada walked over to check out the commotion. The older woman made a show of apologizing for her children's behavior. The apology sounded as insincere as her smile.

"Children can be cruel sometimes Ms. Fujioka. But they only speak the truth you know," she said as a parting shot.

Haruhi tossed and turned in her sleep that night. In her dreams, she saw herself as a child being teased by two boys because her father wore makeup and a dress. They did not get a rise out of her since she told them she was used to his hobby by now. Then the view shifted and she noticed her father witnessing what occurred. Her heart twisted at the anger and helplessness in his eyes.

She woke up with a start. The incident did happen when she was in elementary school but she did not remember her father being there. How many times did he overhear such things? Was that how she looked when the children were taunting Yuji?

She went to the nursery to check on him. The cribs had long been hauled off to a storage place and replaced with a big four-poster bed Tamaki insisted was the only thing fit for their little prince. Kyoya had winced at the term but finally agreed to the bed after Tamaki begged and flashed his puppy dog eyes.

Yuji had kicked the covers off in his sleep. As Haruhi covered him with the blanket, she saw scratches on his left arm. How could she have missed that? She sprayed the scratches with an antiseptic, kissed his cheek and lay down next to him. Sleep eluded her.

She left work early the next day and not just because it was her weekly stint to cook dinner for everyone. She made two pots of curry with the spicier version for Hikaru and Kaoru. Then she set the table with the black-and-white china Tamaki gave her last spring.

Haruhi looked around the house she had grown to call her own, her gaze lingering on the pictures of the rest of the former Host Club. For years, she refused to hear what people said about her and the others. It was enough for her that they were all together.

This way of life had become normal to her and she had lost her own sense of values. But she had another person to protect now. She could not stand to see her son get hurt.

She left letters on the beds of the men who loved her. She packed some clothes, took her son by the hand and walked out the door. Haruhi did not look back. Neither did she cry despite the almost indescribable pain in her chest.

She needed to live a "normal" life for Yuji's sake. She knew she had a lot to learn. She was raised by a cross-dressing bisexual widower and spent three years of her teens masquerading as a boy. No one would call her childhood or adolescence normal. But she was a smart woman, she would learn to conform to society's norms for her son.

Yuji kept looking over his shoulder and dragging his feet. The 4-year-old did not know why they were leaving.

Tamaki arrived home ahead of the others. No one answered him when he called out a greeting. He walked into the kitchen and saw two pots of cold curry atop the stove. He entered his room, turned on the lights and discovered a letter lying on the bed. Tamaki read it and cried.

There would be no more tomorrows with Haruhi.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's note: Thanks for all your support and reviews! I'll post the final two chapters in a couple of days. Just FYI, a scenario and a line of dialogue in chapter 10 actually came from the manga.

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School Host Club is the property of Bisco Hatori

Chapter 11

Seizaburo Tachibana glanced at his watch as he entered the lobby of a 20-storey office building in Tokyo. He arrived 15 minutes before his 11 a.m. appointment. He knew this client didn't appreciate anyone who was late.

He thumbed through financial magazines while he waited. At 10:55 a.m., a secretary ushered him into the office.

Kyoya Ohtori pointed to a chair and wasted no time on idle chitchat. He pulled out a file and started describing the job he wanted done.

The teenager Tachibana watched over when he worked for the Ohtori family had turned into the man feared by many in the business world.

Kyoya's voice and demeanor were calm as he told his ex-bodyguard to find Haruhi and Yuji Fujioka. But Tachibana noted the slight trembling of Kyoya's hands as he handed over pictures of the missing woman and child. He knew his former master was trying to hide his distress.

Tachibana decided to accept the job the minute he got a call from Kyoya. He remained loyal to the third Ohtori son. Like most of the Ohtori staff, he expected the youngest son to become the heir but love was his former charge's undoing. He vowed to find Haruhi Fujioka and the boy who was the image of a young Kyoya Ohtori.

After Tachibana left, Kyoya buzzed his assistant.

"Call that other detective agency and tell them I want results soon."

"Yes sir."

He dismissed the man with a wave of his hand and called the rest of the former Host Club to remind them of the afternoon meeting in his office. He did not want Tamaki involved in his plan but knew that his best friend would feel betrayed if they did anything without him. The trick was to ask Tamaki in a certain way.

Everyone gathered in his office by 4 p.m. Tamaki wanted to know what was so important they couldn't postpone this meeting until after they found Haruhi and Yuji.

Kyoya sidestepped the question easily and proceeded to lay out his proposal to buy a communications company that owns two television stations, a magazine and an online business. Tamaki tried to interrupt but a suddenly serious Hunny shushed him. Tamaki shut up in surprise and looked at the ring of solemn faces around him. He sensed there was something more to this proposal of Kyoya's but couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"So are you all in? There's also Hikaru's idea to expand the menswear side of their couture line."

"Kaoru and I were thinking of using a specific model to become the face of this new sportswear."

Tamaki had heard enough.

"Why are we talking about clothes and TV stations when Haruhi and Yuji are still missing? Is money all you care about, Kyoya?"

"None of us have access to our families' wealth and influence anymore. To do the kind of search we need entails a lot of money. We are trying to earn as much as we can in a short time period hence these projects. Do you want to join our ventures or not?" Kyoya asked with an edge to his voice.

The former Host King visibly deflated and mumbled something about calling the bank in the morning. Kyoya focused next on Mori.

"I'm not forcing anyone to join me. If you don't want to participate, I would understand Mori-senpai."

Mori's lips tightened but he didn't break eye contact with Kyoya. After a very long five minutes, he nodded his assent to the plan.

With the exception of Tamaki, they all knew the real reason behind the meeting. They were going after their neighbors by taking over Ryoma Harada's company. The model they were going to hire for the Hitachiins' new line was none other than Mayu Harada's lover who would then owe them. Kyoya had plans for the model but he shared that only with the twins.

Tamaki said he would issue a check but would leave everything about the projects to Kyoya. He was the first one out the door. Tamaki was meeting with Misuzu Sonoda who used to work with Ranka-san at the bar. He wanted to ask Misuzu if Haruhi had kept in touch with her father's colleagues.

When the door closed behind him, Hunny turned to Kyoya.

"You didn't want Tama-chan to know the truth, Kyo-chan. Don't you think he deserves to know?"

"Tamaki will only be a hindrance and he would not approve of the plan."

Hunny knew Kyoya really wanted to shield his friend from any fallout. Perhaps the dark lord didn't want to taint a pure person. He remembered how they made the editor of the school paper toe the line to protect Tamaki.

But they were now going beyond making threats. Perhaps because they could not protect Haruhi and Yuji in time, Hunny thought and blinked back his tears.

It was one of the worst days of his life. They had been so shocked at Haruhi's leaving that they didn't notice Hikaru wasn't in the house until they heard a car engine start. Hunny didn't know Kaoru could move that fast. By the time they got to the garage, the younger twin had turned off the engine and was trying to keep his furious brother away from the car key.

"Damn it, Kaoru! Give me the key!"

"What were you thinking, Hikaru?"

"I want those bastards to pay for what they did!"

"Were you going to attack them in their house or run them over with the car?"

"Haruhi is gone! I want those Haradas to hurt as much as I do! Give me that damn key!"

Hikaru threw a punch at his brother. Mori blocked the attack and refused to let go Hikaru's fist.

"What have I told you guys before? Crimes are difficult to cover up. Do you think killing them would bring back Haruhi? Use your head for once," Kyoya admonished Hikaru who glared at him.

"Shouldn't we start looking for Haruhi and Yuji? They're probably shivering in the streets with nowhere to go," Tamaki blubbered.

"Get ahold of yourself, Tamaki. Haruhi would not lose her head so easily. Let us all go inside the house. I'll call the police and report them missing."

Only Hunny and Mori noticed how Kyoya gripped the door leading to the garage so tightly that his knuckles were white.

Hunny didn't know how they managed to get through that night with Hikaru barely keeping his anger in check and Tamaki wailing about his beloved and their son. He himself tried to beat up the police when he saw a look of disapproval on one officer's face after Kyoya explained that Haruhi was their common law wife. Mori's quick reflexes saved the officers who turned ashen and apologized when they heard the name of their would-be attacker.

Hunny was brought out of his musings by Hikaru asking Kyoya when they would complete the takeover of Harada's company.

"I expect to tell him the bad news by next week. The fool doesn't own the company either. He's merely an employee."

"Does that make a difference?' Kaoru asked.

"Let's just say this bit of information can make things more uncomfortable for our soon to be former neighbor."

A week later in another section of Tokyo, Ryoma Harada surveyed his domain and smiled. He expected to keep his job when the new owners took over since he heard none of them had any experience in the field. His wife also stopped nagging him about the disgraceful woman who lived on their block ever since the woman left her lovers. What was her name again?

Good riddance, he thought and checked his cell phone for any messages from his mistress. Masako wanted a new car and he promised to take her to a dealership.

The door to his office flew open and twins carrying fabric swatches and wallpaper samples marched in. He gawked at them as they measured the walls and criticized the current décor.

"Who are you people? And what are you doing in my office?"

Hikaru turned to Ryoma Harada and sighed in irritation.

"This guy is still here? I thought Kyoya-senpai would have told him to leave by now."

"Get out before I call security!"

"I think you're the one who needs to leave. This is our office now," Kaoru told the astonished man.

Harada buzzed for his secretary and then called security.

"I would advise against that," said Kyoya who entered the office followed by Mori and Hunny. "Your secretary is no longer working for you and security already knows we are here."

Hikaru perched on Harada's desk and examined a framed picture of the man's family.

"How nice to see you have a wife and children. We used to have a family too, you know," he said through gritted teeth.

"Who the hell are you people?"

"We are the new owners of Omega Communications. We also happen to live in the same neighborhood as you and your lovely wife," Kyoya said.

Kaoru sighed audibly.

"Tsk. Tsk. You don't even remember the subjects of your exposes? No wonder the ratings are going down the tubes," Kaoru said.

Harada paled and tried to remember the names of the woman's lovers.

Kyoya opened a briefcase and pulled out a sheaf of papers he placed in front of his neighbor.

"As of today, you are no longer the chief executive officer of this company. Since you have two children, the board felt obligated to keep you even though we have no confidence in your abilities. Your duties have been changed. You will be responsible for producing shows at the affiliate station. Please sign these and don't forget to clear out your desk by the end of the day."

Harada saw red and exploded. He yelled that he has a contract they are beholden to uphold. He wasn't going to leave without a fight.

"Your contract is with the previous owner. We don't have to honor that. Can I have his chair, Takashi?" Hunny asked.

Harada clapped and started to laugh.

"This is payback for what happened to that woman of yours, isn't it? I heard she took the kid and left you lot. Best thing she could have done really."

Exuding a dark aura, Hunny walked up to Harada and peered into his face.

"Men who pick on women and children are scum," Hunny said slowly and kicked Harada's desk.

The impact sent the desk smashing into the wall where it broke into pieces. Harada cringed. Mori gently pulled Hunny away.

"Mr. Harada, we are reasonable men. Better take our offer now and you can leave for the day. We'll ship your personal effects to your new office," Kyoya said.

Btu Harada screamed that Hunny attacked him and that he was going to sue all of them for breach of contract. Kyoya fished several pictures from his briefcase and showed them to Harada who fell silent.

"Here's another incentive for you to take our offer. You have made many enemies in the communications field. I'm sure they would be happy to feature these photos of you and your current mistress in an expose."

The twins brought out more photos from the briefcase and made snide comments about how Harada really has no taste in women or underwear.

"I'm sure your wife and the various civic groups you belong to will be interested in these photos too. Did I forget to mention the videos of you frequenting known prostitutes?" Kyoya said in a bored tone. "My time is precious Mr. Harada. I can't waste anymore of it on your kind."

Mori found this side of Kyoya disturbing but said nothing. He could not feel an ounce of pity for Harada.

Ryoma Harada didn't go home that night or the next. He called his mistress and they made a round of the local bars.

The Hitachiins then set the second phase of the plan into motion. They talked with Noboru Honda, the model they selected to be the new face of their sportswear. Noboru was only in his early 20s, handsome and very ambitious. He also happened to supplement his income by being the boy toy of rich middle-aged women. One of his current patrons was Mayu Harada.

The twins sent out tea invitations ostensibly from Mayu Harada to all the gossips on their block. The tea party was set for that afternoon and included a note not to call the hostess in advance, as she would be tied up with the preparations. The guests were welcome to bring others.

At 1 p.m., Noboru visited his lover bearing flowers and a dazzling smile. She was shocked at his sudden visit and whispered that he was lucky her husband wasn't home and her children were at a friend's house. She chided him for not calling first. He pouted and demanded she prove she still cared about him.

Mayu Harada's weakness was a handsome young man who needed a little mothering. She obliged him even when he insisted on having sex on the kitchen floor, in the shower and on the living room couch. Exhausted, she fell asleep. Noboru made sure anyone walking through the front door would see her. He unlocked the door and lay down next to her.

At 3 p.m., the guests for the tea party arrived. They knocked on the door but got no response. One eager neighbor tried the handle and found the door unlocked. They walked in on a naked Mayu in the arms of an equally naked man who was not her husband.

Noboru pretended to wake up and acted surprised. He then shook Mayu awake.

Her screams could be heard in the next block.

Videos of Mayu Harada's trysts with other young men appeared on the Internet the next day and every household in the neighborhood received a copy in the mail. The second detective agency had done its job.

The neighbors talked of nothing else for days. The Haradas soon packed their bags and moved out.

Hunny watched them leave and walked back into the house. He sat next to Kyoya who was typing away on his laptop.

"Kyo-chan, you are a very scary man. I'm glad Tama-chan and Haru-chan don't know any of this."

Kyoya gave a mirthless smile.

"My only regret was not acting sooner, Hunny-senpai. Where is Tamaki by the way?"

Hunny told him the former club president went to Haruhi's law firm in another attempt to find any information on her.

Haruhi's employer refused to tell her lovers where she now works and her secretary had even tearfully asked Hunny to leave when he showed up at the office. This woman used to sigh in envy whenever he picked up Haruhi after work on Mondays.

The law firm had responded to Kyoya's veiled threats with a letter telling him to back off or face a lawsuit for harassment. Her colleagues' loyalties lay with Haruhi and not with the six men whom they blamed for her self-imposed exile. They saw the expose and commiserated with her.

Kaoru visited Arai hoping he would know where she went. Arai didn't but gave the names of several former middle school classmates who he thought still kept in touch with Haruhi.

The twins split the names with Tamaki and Hunny. They poured on the charm but to no avail. The women knew nothing.

Tamaki's mind conjured up images straight out of a melodrama and he dragged everyone out of bed that night, demanding they drive through Tokyo to look for Haruhi. Kyoya wanted to tell Tamaki to shut up but held his tongue when he saw the desperation in his friend's eyes.

"We have to find her! God only knows what hovel she and Yuji are living in. My princess is out wandering the streets with our son relying on the kindness of strangers!"

They did as he asked, even though they knew it would be a fruitless task. They called off the search at 2 a.m. But Tamaki insisted he saw someone who looked like Haruhi enter a bar although he knew she didn't drink. Perhaps she was supplementing her income by working as a waitress, he told the others.

"It wasn't her, Tama-chan. Let's go home, neh?" Hunny said as he took the unhappy man by the arm and guided him back to the car.

Tamaki slumped in his seat and refused to look at any of his friends.

"We'll find her milord. We always do," Kaoru said reassuringly. He wanted so badly to convince himself of that as well.

"I hope she didn't skip dinner again because she got busy with work. Honestly, that girl needs to eat more," Hikaru said and gave a wan smile to his brother.

"Haruhi can take care of herself," Mori said.

They were startled that he said anything at all. They hadn't expected him to join them either.

Mori became withdrawn after Haruhi was gone. He usually left the house early and tried to avoid the others when he came home. He kept to his room. One of Mori's worst fears had come true. Although he had expected Haruhi to leave them eventually, he found her absence too painful to bear.

"Takashi, she'll come back. I know she will," Hunny said.

Mori wanted to believe his cousin but his gut told him otherwise. Haruhi lived without them before. She could do so again. He wasn't so sure about him and his friends though.

Kyoya pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and mulled over his options. He was relying on Tachibana's skills but he wondered if the search needed more detectives. He missed the influence he used to wield as an Ohtori.

Tachibana did come through for his former master.

By taking a part-time job as a clerk at Haruhi's law firm, Tachibana discovered that she transferred to a branch office in Osaka. He suspected she asked for the transfer and wasn't demoted because the firm's partners thought very highly of her. He planned a trip to Osaka with the objective of tracing where she now lives. Master Kyoya expected results.

In a quiet part of Osaka, a little boy played in the living room of a 2-bedroom apartment he shared with his mother.

Yuji was puzzled why they now lived here and why he didn't see the six men who called him son. He cried a lot and often asked his mama when his papa and daddies would be home.

Haruhi tried to explain as simply as she could that things were different now, that while his fathers still loved him it was only the two of them now. He didn't understand of course and she gave up trying to explain the result of a tangled relationship to a 4-year-old.

Now whenever he asked for any of his fathers, she would smile and tell him they were away on a trip. She hated lying to him but she would tell him the truth when he was a little older.

She bought him a toy dog and that kept him occupied for a little while. She could not keep a babysitter since Yuji pulled pranks on them worthy of the Hitachiin twins. None lasted longer than a week. She was at her wit's end when Yuji's former nanny appeared on her doorstep.

Haruhi knew then that Kyoya had tracked her down.


	12. Chapter 12

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School Host Club is the property of Bisco Hatori

Chapter 12

Haruhi wasn't surprised to see Kyoya waiting for her outside the apartment two days after Yuji's reunion with his nanny.

"I sent the nanny to the store with Yuji. We need to talk," he said.

She let Kyoya in and busied herself with making tea. Haruhi poured the tea, sat across from him and calmly waited for him to say something.

It could have been just another day in their household except this wasn't their home and the rest of the family was missing, he thought as his heart clenched.

Kyoya knew Haruhi didn't like to beat about the bush so he asked her what everyone wanted to know ever since coming home to a devastated Tamaki. Her letter to him never gave a specific reason for her sudden departure and none of his friends would allow him a glimpse of their letters.

"Why did you leave? Surely all that talk and bad publicity didn't get to you?"

She looked baffled.

"I don't care what anyone said or wrote about us. It wasn't even the hassle of hiding from the reporters and the photographers. But what they were doing to Yuji wasn't right. I needed to remove him from there before something serious happened."

She noticed how Kyoya suddenly tightened his hold on the teacup.

"You didn't think we could protect him?" he asked coldly.

"None of us could be with him 24 hours a day. I thought removing him from the neighborhood was the best thing to do."

"I highly doubt that running away was your only option, Haruhi. Why didn't you talk to us first?"

"All of you would have persuaded me to stay. And I didn't run away, Kyoya. I took Yuji away from there."

It was clear she would not budge on this point. He backed off for now and changed the topic.

"You don't have to worry about the Haradas. They are no longer our neighbors."

She didn't even bat an eyelid, just poured herself another cup of tea.

"It seems Harada was the CEO of the communications company I recently acquired," he said as Haruhi gave him a skeptical glance.

"His performance was lackluster so I had him demoted and transferred to a station in a provincial area. He needed some convincing but eventually agreed with me that a change of scenery would do him and his wife good."

Kyoya omitted the part about blackmailing Ryoma Harada with pictures of the man with his lover. Neither would he admit to manipulating events so that the local gossips caught the sanctimonious Mayu Harada with her young lover. The resulting scandal was more than enough incentive for the repulsive woman to leave.

He also neglected to mention buying the properties adjacent to their home. This way he could control who lives next to them – if he ever allowed the houses to be rented or sold.

Haruhi suspected Kyoya did more than convince the Haradas to leave. She didn't christen him the Shadow King for nothing.

"Now that's settled wouldn't you be more comfortable living in familiar surroundings?" he asked.

"We're not coming back, Kyoya. What are you going to do when somebody else tries to hurt Yuji? You can't keep buying companies or making people disappear from our lives."

"I will do what I think is appropriate given the circumstances," he said, took a sip of tea and set the cup down gently on its saucer.

He predicted she wouldn't change her mind that is why he insisted on seeing her first. Hikaru would have made a scene by now and Tamaki would have dissolved in a puddle of tears at her refusal. But he was not his friends.

"There is another matter we need to discuss. I am Yuji's _father_. The law guarantees me certain rights."

He decided to play hardball after all, she thought.

"Are you threatening to take him away from me? I may not have your resources but I am a very capable lawyer," she said evenly.

"That is not my intent at all. As his father, I would like to see him on a regular basis. I'm sure the others would too."

Haruhi searched his face for any signs that he was lying or hatching a scheme but found none.

"You can see him on the weekends. If there's nothing else, I have to make dinner now," she said and started walking toward the small kitchen.

"We're not quite done."

Kyoya left his chair abruptly and grabbed her wrist. One quick yank and she fell against him. He wrapped his arms around her.

The scent of his cologne surrounded Haruhi and brought back memories of black silk sheets, dark eyes that saw only her and lips that expressed what he couldn't say in words. She made no move to free herself.

"Haruhi you are sorely missed," he whispered hoarsely.

She looked up in surprise at his tone. It was her undoing. He kissed her. She pushed him away and reminded him that she hadn't changed her mind. Kyoya didn't think she would capitulate that easily.

"We're not coming back."

"You're repeating yourself," Kyoya said as he advanced on her.

When he had her trapped in a corner, he pocketed his glasses and lightly caressed her face. She closed her eyes and told him it was time for him to leave. He placed kisses on her eyelids and then her lips. He tangled his fingers in her hair and deepened the kiss. She didn't push him away this time.

Kyoya wanted more than kisses but reigned in his ardor. He settled for holding her just awhile longer. He didn't want to give her another reason to run away.

The past three months looking for her and dealing with his friends had been hell. Yet it was worth it when he saw her walking up the stairs to the apartment. No other woman would suit him but this blunt-spoken commoner. He would do anything to get her back even if he had to buy all the communications companies in Tokyo.

He stayed for dinner, made sure his son wanted for nothing and gave instructions to the nanny. He told Haruhi he would see her again but nearly lost his calm facade when she adjusted his tie and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good night Kyoya."

Because his son and the nanny were in the room, he could only stare at her. Kyoya finally tore his eyes away from her smiling face then forced himself to walk out of the apartment and get into his waiting car.

The others bombarded him with questions the minute he got home. Kyoya didn't think it would be wise for all of them to drop by Haruhi's apartment next time. They drew straws to determine who would visit her next. Tamaki was dead last much to his dismay. No one would switch with him even after he used the infamous puppy eyes.

Kyoya advised them to approach with caution and not to pressure Haruhi. The twins took this to mean that they should shadow her.

It was an interesting game for them, tailing Haruhi from her work to the apartment. But they were doing a poor job since she spotted them earlier in the office parking lot looking conspicuous in dark sunglasses and suits.

"I know you two are out there. Get inside before the neighbors call the police on you," she said in exasperation.

Hikaru and Kaoru sheepishly entered the apartment. As usual, Hikaru was the first to drape his arm around her shoulders.

"Did you miss us?" the older twin asked.

Kaoru was aghast at her ensemble.

"What are you wearing?"

"Clothes," Haruhi said and glanced at the drab brown suit she got on sale last week at the mall.

"This is what happens when we're not around. You look like a walking fashion disaster," Kaoru huffed and tried to strip her of the suit.

His fingers lingered on her skin.

"Wait a minute, Kaoru. I can take it off myself," she said and adroitly slipped out of his grasp.

"Not so fast Ms. Fashion Victim," Hikaru quipped and grabbed her around the waist. He stole a quick kiss from her.

"Hikaru stop that."

Hearing familiar voices, Yuji walked into the room. He saw the twins and ran toward them yelling, "Daddy! Daddy!"

"How is my boy?" Kaoru asked as he picked up the child.

When Kaoru put him down, Yuji gave him a hug then went over to Hikaru and grabbed his leg.

Hikaru ran his hands through the boy's black hair and kept his eyes trained on the little face.

"Did you miss me and Daddy Kaoru?"

The boy nodded quickly and hugged his leg tighter. Kaoru knelt in front of Yuji and handed over a present.

"We brought you something. You can use it on nanny," he whispered.

But Haruhi heard him. Yuji grinned devilishly like the twins then he flashed an impish smile at his mother that mirrored Hunny's minus the pink flowers. Haruhi glared at the Hitachiins. She told her son to go to his nanny for now but please don't use what his daddies gave him.

"If she quits too, I will strangle you both," she muttered angrily.

"Promise to tie us up first," Hikaru teasingly said.

"I know why you're both here. The answer is still no. You can see Yuji on the weekends like Kyoya but we're not coming back."

For once, Kaoru hated Haruhi's stubbornness. Couldn't she see they needed her?

"Come home. You and Yuji don't belong here. What people said didn't bother you before. Why should you care now?"

"All the gossip and the way we got treated didn't matter to me. They still don't. But it's not fair to subject Yuji to all that ugliness especially when he could get hurt again. He needs to live a normal life."

Hikaru snorted in derision.

"Who is to say our way of life is wrong? Marriage isn't so sacred is it? What's the divorce rate now?"

Kaoru picked up on his twin's train of thought and chimed in.

"A lot of married people cheat on each other. And more than half of couples who marry get divorced," Kaoru said.

"I don't know anyone else in a relationship like ours," she countered.

"Because the rest of the world is full of idiots," Hikaru said and bit his lip. He knew he sounded childish.

For the longest time, the Hitachiins' world was made up of only themselves. When Haruhi entered the picture, their world expanded to include her. Slowly but surely, the other Host Club members became part of that world too.

But the twins never opened the gates to anyone else. They viewed the rest of the populace with feigned interest. While they were not as antisocial as they were in middle school, their only real close friends remained their fellow former Hosts. It was enough for them.

Haruhi's departure created a void in that world. They needed her and their son back.

"Doesn't Yuji miss milord, Kyoya-senpai, Mori-senpai and Hunny-senpai too? How do you explain our absence to him?" Kaoru interjected.

"He thinks all of you are on a trip."

"Well, we're back from this so-called trip," Hikaru retorted. "Those horrible Haradas are gone. And milord's constant crying is getting on all our nerves. You have to come back."

"What about Tamaki?"

Kaoru decided to elaborate on the lie. Tamaki actually stopped crying a day after Haruhi left because he kept busy looking for her and Yuji.

"Milord hardly eats anything, sleeps little, bangs on his piano constantly and moans for you all the time. He's a wreck and looks it. Kyoya-senpai had to call in a doctor last week for him."

Haruhi raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. She went to her room and changed into a T-shirt and jeans.

"Don't you care about milord?" Kaoru asked loudly.

She gave them a disbelieving stare when she got out of the bedroom.

"Tamaki would never neglect his looks," she said and proceeded to set the table.

"Remember this is a man who in high school took to his bed because he had a pimple. Last year, he walked around the house in a hooded sweatshirt yelling he was now hideous all because he got sunburned."

Hikaru rolled his eyes at Kaoru for overdoing "the pity milord" line.

They ate in silence. Yuji was content to smile now and then at his daddies. Haruhi was deep in thought about a case she was handling. The twins wracked their brains for a plan to bring Haruhi back short of kidnapping her.

After dinner, Yuji ended up falling asleep on Kaoru's lap. The redhead's eyes softened as he gently stroked the boy's head. Hikaru kissed Yuji's forehead.

"He needs his fathers. He needs us in his life," Kaoru said in a pleading tone.

"Did I say you couldn't see him? You can visit him on the weekends," Haruhi said.

Hikaru embraced her from behind.

"Don't you still love us?"

Haruhi let herself relax in his arms. She stayed like that for a few heartbeats then extricated herself from his embrace.

"It's not about us anymore, Hikaru. Please understand."

"No I don't understand! We were happy before! Why can't things remain the way they were!" he shouted at her.

The younger twin put a sleeping Yuji in the nearest bedroom and closed the door. Then he hurried back to see his brother on the verge of crying.

"Is it me? If you don't love me anymore then come back for Kaoru's sake or for the others. Just come home, Haruhi. Come home."

Kaoru smiled in apology at her for his brother's outburst. He felt as desperate as his twin did but he would not beg Haruhi to return because he understood her reason for leaving. She touched Hikaru's arm and shook her head sadly. Kaoru's heart ached.

He told a still silent Haruhi good night and hustled his brother out of the apartment. Hikaru broke away from him and ran to where they parked the car. He was weeping.

Kaoru stuck his hands in his pockets and clenched his jaw. He felt like crying himself.

Hunny and Mori decided to take Yuji out the next weekend. They returned to the apartment carrying a giggling 4-year-old. Haruhi suspected her son ate too many sweets again courtesy of Hunny.

The former loli-shota host chatted with Haruhi but steered away from any topics that might irk her. His cousin kept Yuji entertained by showing him some martial arts moves.

However, Hunny couldn't stand it anymore and decided to venture into risky waters.

"Are you happy, Haru-chan? You know you can talk to Takashi and me anytime," he said.

Haruhi smiled at him but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I'll always be here for you," he said and squeezed her hands.

Hunny could easily break others in two or scare a platoon of private police with his reputation but he never forced her to do anything she didn't want. She knew he would wait for her to return however long it took. But she decided it wouldn't be fair to him.

"You need to move on Hunny. We all do," Haruhi said as her eyes strayed over to her son. She clutched the ruby pendant at her throat.

"Is that what you want?" Mori's baritone cut into their conversation. He had silently walked up to them.

"It's for the best," she said.

"Who decided that?"

"I did Mori."

He glanced at his cousin. Hunny took hold of Haruhi's chin and gently moved her head so she could look him in the eye.

"Tell me again what you want, Haru-chan."

"We need to move on with our lives."

Hunny smiled and let go her chin. Mori released the breath he had been holding.

"You're not a very good liar, Haru-chan. You never were."

"But…"

Hunny cut her off by kissing her. When she kissed him back, he pulled her tight against him. Suddenly aware of their position, Haruhi gently pushed him away.

He didn't want his freedom and doubted if any of the others would even consider such a thing. It was clear she still loved him. He wished she'd realize soon that Yuji hated living away from them. But until she did, he would wait for her.

"Takashi and I will be there when you walk through those oak doors again. We promise, neh Takashi?"

Mori nodded and gently squeezed Haruhi's shoulders.

"All of us will be there," Mori added and smiled at her.

Tamaki insisted on riding the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka to show Haruhi he could travel like a commoner. The ride took two hours and 35 minutes but he got lost looking for her place and called Kyoya in a panic. It was already dinnertime when Tamaki knocked on the apartment door.

Yuji, who had been waiting impatiently for his papa, launched himself at the blond as soon as Haruhi opened the door.

The boy loved all his fathers but his papa held a special place in his heart. Tamaki was never too tired to play with him, would tuck him in bed at night and tell him stories. Yuji's first memory was of Tamaki singing him a French lullaby. His first word was "papa" and Tamaki was the person he headed for when he started to walk.

To Tamaki, nothing was too good for his little prince. He would have given the boy anything he wanted if not for Haruhi putting her foot down.

"Sorry I'm late. I took the train to get here," he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Even if you rode a Kodama train, it shouldn't have taken you five hours to get here," she pointed out. "You must have gotten lost."

Tamaki would have hunkered down in a corner of the apartment if not for the small hand that tugged at his pant leg.

"Papa, why didn't you come before?"

"Papa is very sorry for the delay. You see I had to rescue a princess first and she lived far, far away."

"Tamaki, it's time for dinner."

He carried Yuji to the table. The boy stuck to his side after dinner and refused to go to bed when the clock chimed 9 o'clock.

"Tell papa goodnight and go to sleep," Haruhi said.

Yuji looked panic-stricken and grabbed Tamaki's shirt.

"Are you leaving, papa?"

"I'll be here when you wake up in the morning," Tamaki said and ignored Haruhi's mumblings of protest in the background. "Do you want me to tell you a story tonight?"

"Yes please."

"I think you'd like the story of the princess who pretended to be a boy so she could escape the clutches of three evil witches from the kingdom of Roberia."

Tamaki smiled innocently at Haruhi and asked where Yuji's room was. He didn't emerge until an hour later when he was sure the boy was asleep.

He saw that Haruhi left blankets and pillows on the couch for him. He found her already in her pajamas and engrossed with a case file.

"We don't have an extra room. I hope the couch is fine," she said without looking up from her file.

She would have suspected him of planning this unexpected sleepover if he had been Kyoya or the twins. But this was Tamaki.

"Um Haruhi… "

"I'll see you in the morning, Tamaki."

She heard, rather than saw him leave. Five minutes later, he returned and shyly kissed her on the cheek. She turned her head, gave him a peck on the lips then bid him good night. A blushing Tamaki left her room.

At heart, he remained the boy who fell in love with her in high school.

"Good night my princess!" he called out from the living room.

"Go to sleep Tamaki or I will have Hikaru and Kaoru pick you up tonight."

He shut his eyes and tried to fall asleep. Those devilish twins will not ruin his weekend with Haruhi and their son.

To Yuji's delight, his papa was still with them on Sunday. Tamaki told Haruhi amid a pointless flood of roses that for love of her he would endure using public transportation again. He would risk life and limb and take the train back to Tokyo that night. She shrugged her shoulders and continued cooking breakfast.

Her indifference to his sacrifice sent him moping to a corner.

"Please don't grow mushrooms in that corner, Tamaki. I just cleaned there yesterday."

"Can I eat this?" Yuji asked as he plucked the fungi from his sulking papa.

Haruhi sighed. It was going to be a long day.

Tamaki insisted they visit a park that afternoon. Since he didn't know where the local parks were located, Haruhi became his impromptu tour guide. She was glad they came though when she saw how happy her son was playing on the swings with Tamaki. But gray clouds hid the sun two hours later. Haruhi didn't like the sudden change in the weather and told Tamaki and Yuji they were leaving.

They were caught in a downpour. Haruhi didn't mind the rain but froze when she heard thunder and saw lightning flash. She was so scared she couldn't move and seemed not to hear Yuji as he pulled on her sleeve and called her.

She shut her eyes tight and shivered in fear. She felt someone carrying her.

When the thunder didn't sound so close anymore, she opened her eyes. She was back in the apartment wearing her pajamas and Tamaki was drying her hair with a towel. She couldn't remember changing her clothing. She heard him tell the nanny to give Yuji a hot bath. He later left her side for a few minutes to tuck the boy in.

Haruhi could still hear the storm raging outside and huddled under the bedcovers. Tamaki returned to coax her out and offered his open arms.

Another rumble of thunder and she was shivering in his embrace. He laid her down on the bed and slid in beside her. She clung to him.

"Don't worry. I won't leave. Didn't I say I'll keep an eye on you always?"

Tamaki rubbed her back and kissed her temple. He sang her a lullaby and whispered endearments in her ear. She felt safe, warm and protected.

"I love you princess," were the last words she heard before sleep claimed her.

She woke up to clear skies and an empty bed. She wondered if last night was a dream until she heard his voice calling her son. Yuji ran into the room followed by Tamaki who caught him. Yuji laughed and put his arms around the blond's neck.

In the end, Tamaki didn't take the train back but was picked up by their driver. Yuji kept waving long after the limo was gone from sight.

The apartment suddenly seemed too quiet to Haruhi.

Their weekends fell into a routine. Either one or two of the former club members dropped by to see Yuji and she would cook dinner. Hunny always brought dessert and candy with him much to the child's delight.

They insisted on sleeping over and even brought their own futons. Haruhi stopped protesting after she found her son curled up next to Mori with a smile on his face. The weekend before, she discovered him snoring between Hikaru and Kaoru. She had thought it was a one-time thing when she couldn't find Yuji in his room then saw him nestled next to Tamaki.

But the child wasn't happy with the status quo.

In fact, Yuji had had enough. He couldn't understand why he was still in this place. He didn't like the apartment, he missed his fathers and he hated only seeing them once a week. He wanted them to live together again in the big white house with lots of roses in the garden.

As Tamaki bid Yuji goodbye one Sunday afternoon, the boy grabbed his pant leg and demanded to go home with him.

"But Yuji, this is your home," Haruhi said.

The little boy shook his head vehemently and clung tighter to Tamaki. He yelled, "No! No! No!" as his mother tried to pry him loose from the former Host King.

"I want to be with papa! I want my daddies!"

Haruhi stopped pulling on her son who took the opportunity to wrap his arms around Tamaki's leg. In between sobs, Yuji repeatedly told them he hated it here.

"I think it's time we all went home," Tamaki said softly.

"And if someone else tries to hurt him? What then?"

She didn't want Yuji to hear their conversation but he refused to loosen his grip on Tamaki's leg.

"We would never let that happen again. I would sooner die than let anyone harm a hair on my son's head."

"He is Kyoya's son."

Tamaki knew she was merely stating a fact and took no offense. He smiled at the boy who declined to let him go.

"Yes, he is Kyoya's son as he is my son. And Mori-senpai's and Hunny-senpai's and even those devilish twins'. Yuji will always be our son. I'll never stop loving him."

"They pushed him around, they scratched his arm and they called him the son of a … you know."

"I was called a harlot's son, among other things."

She was startled at his admission.

"Did you ever get angry?"

"No, I mostly felt sorry for them."

"Why?"

"It must have been hard for them to see someone as perfect as I am. God only makes few of us, you know."

"…"

He beamed at her and patted Yuji's head.

"My parents fell in love and I was the beautiful result of that love. It's the same for Yuji. He didn't do anything wrong but be born to our family. I'm here to enlighten people on how precious and perfect my little boy is. I promise you, I will always protect him."

Tamaki held out his hand.

"Let's go home, Haruhi. Everyone is waiting for you."

He walked through the carved oak doors that night holding Yuji by the hand and followed by the nanny. Five pairs of eyes focused on the doorway. None of them dared to speak.

When Haruhi finally appeared with a suitcase she insisted on carrying herself, Hunny ran to her and hugged her as he did in high school.

"Haru-chan!"

They surrounded her. Hikaru declared that her awful outfit needed to go right now and headed for her room, dragging her in tow. They kept the room exactly as she left it. The rest tagged along; Hunny holding onto Haruhi's other hand, Mori lugging her suitcase and Kaoru carrying Yuji.

Tamaki made to follow them but stopped at a sign from Kyoya.

"Thank you for bringing her back."

Kyoya knew his friend could have persuaded Haruhi to live with him alone. But he didn't and for that, the ex-Shadow King was grateful. Yet he wondered why Tamaki chose not to.

As if sensing the unspoken question, Tamaki smiled at the other man.

"It took me awhile to understand. But her heart would never belong solely to me. She loves you, Mori-senpai, Hunny-senpai and those doppelgangers," he said. "And I would never break up our family, right Mother?"

"Of course, Father."

It wasn't the first time Kyoya was glad he'd met Tamaki Suoh.


	13. Epilogue

Author's note: Thanks to all of you who read and reviewed since it made writing this worthwhile. I wasn't so sure about posting the epilogue though since it's written in two different styles Oh well..

DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School is the property of Bisco Hatori

EPILOGUE

**_The Travelers and the Peasant Girl_**

_Long, long ago in a land where happy endings were still possible, a prince, a sorcerer, a pair of tricksters and two warriors decided to travel together. They were rich, handsome and had plenty of time on their hands. They whiled away their days making noble women fall in love with them and going off on adventures._

_And if there were times when they found all the sighing and squealing a bit much, they would wander through distant lands searching for enchanted swords, cats that talk and other elusive items._

_On a quest to find a blue rose, the travelers wandered into a village famous for its roses and spent the night at an inn. But a foolish peasant left the stable door open and thieves stole the travelers' horses. The peasant's daughter told the travelers her family could not replace the animals. So to pay the debt, she became their apprentice and coffeemaker. She left the village and accompanied them on their adventures._

_Because she was a truthful person, she told them their looks and riches did not impress her. Yet she grew to like them because they were good and kind men. She was unlike any woman the travelers had ever met and it wasn't long before they fell in love with her. They wanted her to stay with them always._

_Still the girl left after she worked off what her father owed. As a parting gift, the sorcerer gave her a woolen cloak. He cast a spell on the cloak that would reunite them again if she so wished. But he kept that a secret._

_The girl returned to her quiet life in the village. She would smile when she thought of the travelers and their adventures. The years passed and she began to miss them and their life on the road. But she wished for nothing more than enough food on the table, a roof over her head and the good health of her father._

_Then one day as the villagers celebrated a good harvest, bandits attacked the village. They stole what they could, burned the houses and killed many including her father. Wrapped in her cloak, the girl fled into the forest where she hid for days. Tired, hungry and alone, she huddled under a tree and wished her former companions were with her._

_They appeared in a puff of smoke and asked her to join them again._

"_We'll be together forever!" they cried._

"_But there is no such thing as forever," she said. "There is only today and tomorrow."_

"_Then we'll be with you today and for many tomorrows."_

_And the girl smiled once more._

Haruhi Fujioka. 36. Successful lawyer, mother of one and legal wife to none, looked with disinterest at the platter of ootoro held in front of her.

"I don't think I want any," she said.

The six men and one boy seated at the dinner table gawked at her in surprise.

Haruhi sipped a glass of water and ignored the seafood and meat dishes on the table. However, she polished off two slices of chocolate cake. She then excused herself and spent the rest of the evening in her room.

The next morning, Haruhi ate only a piece of unbuttered toast and drank tea. She said anything else made her nauseous. Mori looked at Hunny who happily dug into his pancakes and asked the others what color they should paint the walls of the new baby's room.

Chaos erupted.

Yuji tugged on Haruhi's sleeve and asked if he was going to get a brother or a sister. Hikaru and Kaoru whipped out sketchpads and started planning what the new nursery would look like. Kyoya called his assistant and ordered that an appointment be made this week with the country's best obstetrician. Tamaki grabbed Haruhi and started dancing around the room until she ruined his new suit with the remains of last night's cake and today's toast.

As Mori pried Haruhi away from Tamaki and carried her to a bathroom, Hunny called the law firm to say _his wife_ was too sick to come in to work today. No one corrected him because Monday was his day.

Haruhi could hear their excited chatter as she cleaned herself up. She insisted on going to work but Mori shook his head and blocked her way by standing in front of the door. He only moved when she sighed and agreed to stay home.

He carried her to her room where she changed into a pair of pajamas. Haruhi sat on the bed and rubbed her legs. She felt tired and showed it. The consequences of adding another child to their unusual family was also not lost on her.

"How can we put another child through what Yuji already faces?' she asked the tall stoic man.

Hunny bounded into the room and took in the scene in one glance. Mori walked over to his cousin and they exchanged a look. The smaller man sat next to Haruhi on the bed.

"What's worrying you, Haru-chan?"

"Do you think it's fair to subject another child to all this?"

Hunny laughed and hugged her.

"Haru-chan, you had a cross-dressing father, went through high school pretending to be a boy and was the only poor student in Ouran where family name and wealth were important. Did you care what people thought?"

"No."

But what people did to her son mattered a lot to her. So much so, that she left the men who loved her. None of them wanted a repeat of that. Hunny promised himself he would never let anyone drive his Haru-chan away ever again.

He reminded her that Yuji was the most popular boy at school and a favorite of the girls. She rolled her eyes, remembering the day she caught her son picking all the roses in the garden. Yuji admitted they were for his princesses at school. Papa told him girls love roses although Daddy Kyoya suggested he sell the flowers to the girls instead.

Hunny hurriedly pointed out that Yuji never gave much thought to what gossipmongers said about him. The boy was impervious to insults about his pedigree. She admitted Hunny had a point.

"Yuji doesn't seem to mind what people say. But I think that is more Tamaki's influence than mine. Plus you two made sure he could knock people around if he needed to," she added.

"Hmm," was Mori's reply.

"Hmm indeed."

Hunny put his hand on her still flat stomach. When he spoke, it was in the solemn tone he seldom used.

"Takashi and I will teach the children everything we know about martial arts. There are hateful people in this world and sometimes, you can't ignore them."

"Hunny…"

The others fortunately chose that moment to enter her room. Kyoya told Haruhi she had an appointment with the obstetrician in two days. Tamaki carried a bowl of soup and somehow dodged the twins' attempts to trip him.

"Haruhi! Have a sip of this chicken soup. Cook said it will make you feel better," Tamaki cheerfully said. He'd changed into a polo shirt and tan pants.

She did not feel like having soup and told him so. But she finished half the bowl when Tamaki's lower lip quivered and his sad puppy eyes looked at her. She soon regretted her decision and fled to the bathroom.

As she crawled back into bed, she told them she wasn't hungry but her growling stomach contradicted her.

"You need to eat something. It's not good for the baby," Kaoru said. "Is there something you want to eat? We can get it for you."

"Anything you want. We can borrow our family's plane if we need to," Hikaru added.

She sighed at their wasteful behavior. However, she thought about their offer for several minutes then seemed to come to a decision.

"For some reason I want something sweet," Haruhi said. "I have this urge to eat strawberry cake with lots of strawberries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream."

Hunny grinned impishly at his startled friends. He wondered if the baby would have his blonde hair or Haruhi's eyes. He was going to _enjoy _the next eight months.

-Fini-


End file.
